Pakistan PM Sharif reaffirms his willingness to talk with India on all issues
Islamabad, Jun 20 (PTI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Friday reaffirmed Pakistan's willingness to talk with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty, trade and counter-terrorism.
He conveyed this during a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to a statement posted by the state-run Pakistan Television on X.
During their warm and cordial conversation, the Prime Minister conveyed his best wishes to US President Donald Trump, it said. He praised the President for his bold leadership and appreciated Secretary Rubio's proactive diplomacy that "played a pivotal role in helping Pakistan and India to arrive at a ceasefire understanding".
Sharif said that President Trump's positive statements about Pakistan are most encouraging for a durable peace in South Asia, which can only be made possible by initiating meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India.
“In this context, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness for talks with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu & Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty, trade and counter-terrorism,” the state-run PTV said.
India has made it clear that it will only have a dialogue with Pakistan on the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and the issue of terrorism.
The situation in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel crisis, was also discussed, where the Prime Minister emphasized the need to find a peaceful resolution to this grave crisis, through dialogue and diplomacy.
He said Pakistan is ready to play a constructive role in any effort for peace in the current situation, which is deeply worrying, not only for the region but for the entire world.
While recalling President Trump's focus on trade, Sharif said Pakistan and the US need to work together to advance mutually beneficial cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, energy, mining, rare earth metals, and IT.
On security and counter-terrorism, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to deal with the menace of terrorism from the entire country, particularly the threat from militant groups.
Rubio appreciated Pakistan's counter-terrorism efforts and assured Pakistan of full cooperation by the United States in countering all such threats, the channel said.
He also appreciated Pakistan's resolve to uphold the ceasefire understanding with India, as well as its sustained efforts for peace in the region.
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1,600 Indians travel to India on 5 Qatar Airways flights amid airspace curbs
Doha (PTI): Around 1,600 Indian nationals travelled to India on five Qatar Airways flights on Tuesday, even as the airline continues to operate limited services due to restrictions on Qatar's airspace, the Indian Embassy here said.
The flights included two services to Delhi and one each to Mumbai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, the embassy said in a social media post.
"In total, about 1600 Indian nationals travelled on Qatar Airways flights today," it said.
The mission noted that Qatar's airspace remains largely closed and Qatar Airways is currently operating only limited, non-scheduled flights.
The airline has announced services to nine Indian destinations starting Wednesday, and passengers can make bookings through the Qatar Airways website, mobile application or authorised travel agents.
The embassy said it continues to facilitate temporary Saudi transit visas for stranded Indian nationals wishing to travel to India via Saudi Arabia by crossing the Salwa land border.
The mission will remain open on all days in the coming week to provide consular services, including issuance of passports, while its control room and helplines through phone, email and WhatsApp will continue to function on a 24/7 basis.
It urged the Indian community to follow instructions issued by Qatari authorities and exercise responsibility in sharing information to help maintain public safety and community stability.
The embassy and Indian community organisations have also collaborated to support members of the Indian fishermen community in Qatar by providing dry rations to those in need.
Tensions in West Asia continue to escalate following the US-Israel strikes on Iran since February 28.
