Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif rakes up Kashmir at UNGA, says wants 'peace'

New York, Sep 23: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raked up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir while addressing world leaders at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday.

Addressing UNGA Shehbaz said "we look for peace with all our neighbours, incl India. Sustainable peace and stability in South Asia however remains contingent upon a just and lasting solution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute..."

Shehbaz claimed that India's "illegal and unilateral" actions on August 5, 2019 to change the special status of Jammu and Kashmir further undermined the prospects of peace and inflamed regional tensions.

"India must take credible steps to create enabling environment for constructive engagement. We are neighbours and we are there forever, the choice is ours whether we live in peace or keep on fighting with each other," Shehbaz said.

"We have had 3 wars from 1947 onwards and as a consequence, only misery, poverty and unemployment increased on both sides. It is now up to us to resolve our differences, our problems, and our issues through peaceful negotiations and discussions," he said.

"I think it's high time that India understands this message that both countries are arms to the teeth. War is not an option, only peaceful dialogue can resolve issues so that the world becomes more peaceful in the time to come," he added.

He said the Pakistani people have always stood by Kashmiris in complete solidarity and will continue to do so. He said he will be forthcoming, to sit down and talk to "our Indian counterparts" to pave the way forward for the future so that "our generations do not suffer, so that we spend our resources on mitigating miseries, on building structures to face these floods and outburst of clouds."

The ties between India and Pakistan nosedived after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution. India's decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.