Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has written to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, saying he seeks "peaceful and cooperative" ties with India.
In the letter, Sharif wrote that it can be achieved through "meaningful dialogue" and that Pakistan is committed to regional peace and security, The Indian Express reported.
Last week, Sharif had said that Pakistan’s “sacrifices” in fighting terrorism are “well known”, in a reply to PM Modi's congratulatory message, in which he had called for “a region free of terror.”
Shehbaz also stressed that the “peaceful settlement” of the Pakistan-India dispute over Jammu and Kashmir was “indispensable” for cooperative ties between the two neighbouring nations.
Ties between India and Pakistan have remained strained for many years, particularly on the matter of Jammu and Kashmir. The relations between the nations had plummeted after the Pulwama attack by Pakistan in 2019 and India's subsequent retaliatory airstrike in Balakot.
However, with Sharif taking over as PM, New Delhi is looking at developments in the region with a cautiously optimistic approach. Sources told the publication that the change in regime may offer a “diplomatic opening.”
Officials pointed out that the core concerns of the two countries remain the same, and Shehbaz is well placed to resume the bilateral conversation.
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