Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness to engage in “meaningful dialogue” with India to resolve all outstanding matters.
The premier made these remarks during a meeting with British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, who called on him in Islamabad.
The April 22 Pahalgam attack sparked heavy fighting between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India in the latest escalation of a decades-old rivalry as New Delhi blamed it on Islamabad without offering any evidence.
In response to the Indian aggression, Pakistan’s armed forces launched a large-scale retaliatory military action, named “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos”, and targeted several Indian military targets across multiple regions.
Pakistan downed its six fighter jets, including three Rafales, and dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours, the war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.
The ceasefire was first announced by US President Donald Trump on social media after Washington held talks with both sides, but India has differed with Trump’s claims that it resulted from his intervention and threats to sever trade talks.
However, Pakistan has acknowledged Trump’s efforts and formally recommended him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in defusing tensions between Pakistan and India last month.
During today’s meeting, the prime minister conveyed his warm wishes for King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer and said he looked forward to his meeting with the UK leadership later this year.
PM Shehbaz also welcomed the UK government’s recent decision to resume PIA flights to and from the UK. He added that this would go a long way in alleviating the hardships faced by the British Pakistani community as well as enhancing people-to-people exchanges.
The ban was enforced in July 2020 by the UK and European aviation authorities following the fake pilot licence scandal.
Although the removal from the list marks a significant milestone, Pakistani carriers will still need to secure individual operating permits from the UK Civil Aviation Authority before flights can resume.
On Pakistan-UK relations, the premier expressed satisfaction at the positive trajectory of bilateral cooperation and said that the recently held trade talks between the two countries would lead to mutually beneficial opportunities for both sides.
He said that Pakistan was also cooperating closely with the UK at the UN Security Council, where Pakistan currently holds the monthly Presidency.
The regional situation in South Asia and the Middle East was also discussed. The prime minister expressed his appreciation for the UK’s role in de-escalation of tensions during the Pakistan-India standoff.
The UK High Commissioner thanked the premier for receiving her and briefed him about her recent visit to London, where she had extensive consultations on enhancing Pakistan-UK bilateral ties.
She lauded the government’s economic performance in the last year and a half, under the vision and leadership of PM Shehbaz, which had brought about a significant improvement in all key macro-economic indicators.
She also shared with the premier, the UK’s perspective on regional developments in South Asia and the Middle East.
