Nawaz Sharif Advocates Diplomacy to Defuse Indo-Pak Tensions

Amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam attack and India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has returned to Pakistan to counsel his brother, current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on navigating the crisis through diplomacy rather than confrontation, as reported by The Express Tribune.

After Nawaz's arrival, he emphasized to PM Shehbaz Sharif the importance of pursuing a diplomatic strategy to de-escalate tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. Sharif, referencing discussions from the National Security Committee meeting, urged the PML-N-led coalition government to employ all possible diplomatic channels to restore peace.

Nawaz Sharif has consistently championed peaceful relations with India, recalling throughout 2023 that his government was ousted in 1999 partly due to opposition to the Kargil War. He reflected on the violations of the Lahore Declaration, a peace agreement with India, as a critical misstep in Indo-Pak relations.

(With inputs from agencies.)