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“New Delhi must choose between hostility and good neighbourly ties. Any talks with India will be on equal terms. We want peace,” says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif
Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan wanted talks with India, but only on equal terms. (File)
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during an address to overseas Pakistanis in London, raked up the Kashmir issue and Gaza war in the same breath, which top intelligence sources called “provocative escalation” and “psychological warfare”.
“New Delhi must choose between hostility and good neighbourly ties. Any talks with India will be on equal terms,” said Sharif, adding, “Billions of dollars spent on wars between Pakistan and India should be spent on development and prosperity of people. Ceasefire [with India] has been reached. We now want peace.”
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He said the blood of millions of Kashmiris would not go in vain, then drawing an indirect comparison with Gaza, where more than 64,000 Palestinians have died. “The region is linked forever, whether people like it or not,” he said.
Sharif said that Pakistan wanted talks with India, but only on equal terms. “Fairness and respect must guide any dialogue,” he said.
Decoding Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s message
“Pakistan PM’s statement equating Kashmir with Gaza is a provocative escalation. This is aimed at making it international issue and inflaming radical sentiment and this amounts to psychological warfare,” said sources.
“The so-called equal terms condition is Pakistan’s attempt to dictate the framework of dialogue. Sharif is giving unacceptable terms to India and it shows Islamabad has no genuine intent for constructive engagement,” they said.
“By invoking blood of millions of Kashmiris, Sharif is reviving the jihad narrative under the garb of peace. He is encouraging militancy and cross-border terror proxies, which will provoke conflict again,” sources said.
The rhetoric about billions wasted on wars is hypocrisy as Pakistan’s continued military spending, support to terror infrastructure, and collusion with China to destabilise India is part of its strategic messaging offensive, they said.
“Sharif is trying to appear statesman-like abroad while keeping the jihadist constituency intact at home. This is a dangerous double game, and India must treat it as a calculated provocation aimed at reigniting conflict,” sources said.
About the Author
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18
September 21, 2025, 17:08 IST
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