Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to hold talks with India on the Kashmir dispute and counterterrorism, stressing New Delhi wanted the same “in all sincerity”.

The prime minister participated in the Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan Trilateral Summit alongside presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev. The meeting comes as the premier continued his tour to friendly countries to appreciate their support for Pakistan during the recent conflict with India.

Speaking at the summit, PM Shehbaz said: “I have said in all humility that we want peace in the region […] and that requires talks on the table on issues which need urgent attention and amicable resolution, that is the issue of Kashmir according to the resolutions of the United Nations and the Security Council and as per the aspirations of the people of Kashmir.”

The premier also touched upon the issue of terrorism: “I have said in all earnest that if India wants to talk on countering terrorism in sincerity of purpose, Pakistan would be willing to talk to India on this issue as well.

“But this is a fact of life that we are the biggest victims of terrorism around the globe; we lost 90,000 valuable lives in Pakistan and $150 billion worth of economic losses over the last many decades,” he highlighted.

PM Shehbaz also expressed willingness to resume trade if India was willing to cooperate on the issues, including counterterrorism.

“There cannot be a bigger commitment and intention to beat this menace (terrorism) for all times to come, and in that, if India wants in all sincerity honest cooperation, Pakistan would be willing, along with the promotion of trade with India. All these issues need to be discussed on the table.

“I would be extremely grateful for your support in this regard,” he said, addressing the Turkiye and Azerbaijan presidents.

On India’s unilateral move to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, the premier said: “India tried to weaponise the Indus Waters Treaty, which is a lifeline for the people of Pakistan — 240 million people — for their agricultural use, for drinking and many other purposes.

“I think this is most unfortunate that India tried to threaten to stop our flow of water to Pakistan. This is not possible, was never possible, and will not be possible, God-willing. We are making proper arrangements to ensure that India never ever does it,” he asserted.

During his address, Shehbaz noted: “The world we live in faces numerous grave challenges, including armed conflict, climate change, diseases and economic crises.

“This is why the three of us have assembled here today, opting for compassion while rejecting conflict. We are confident that patience and wisdom will ultimately usher in peace and prosperity.”

“In today’s unpredictable and volatile world, political security, architectures, connectivity, alignments and emerging technologies are shaping the new reality. In such a situation, Pakistan is very fortunate to have sincere brothers like Turkiye and Azerbaijan who have stood together with us as impregnable rocks and whom we can trust without a second thought.”

Reiterating his gratitude to Erdogan and Aliyev for their diplomatic support during the recent conflict with India, which “was obviously very serious”. “It was an aggression from India against Pakistan for no rhyme and reason.”

He noted Erdogan’s “firm stand and solidarity with the people of Pakistan”, as well as Aliyev’s unwavering commitment to the people of Pakistan“ had earned the highest level of appreciation from his government and the nation.

The prime minister hailed the role of Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir during Pakistan’s response, noting the “great bravery and the highest level of professional acumen” of the armed forces under his leadership.

“I saw him during those moments God-fearing, fearless, firm and with an iron resolve, with patience and obviously with fortitude to face that aggression.”

Addressing Aliyev, the premier thanked him for the hospitality shown to him and his delegation, noting that today’s summit “reflects the meeting of hearts and souls of genuine friends and sincere well-wishers”.

Recalling the “most fruitful discussions” at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit last year in Kazakhstan, PM Shehbaz said, “We are now eagerly looking forward to taking our trilateral partnership to new heights that would be in consonance with the wishes and desires of our people.

“This would be no surprise to anyone as Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Turkiye are bound together by deep historical, cultural and spiritual ties forged through centuries of shared values and mutual support,” he asserted.

“This historical relationship has been further strengthened as we have stood by each other, whether it be on Karabakh, Kashmir or northern Turkish Cyprus. Our strength lies in our solidarity and mutual respect.”

Noting the “outpouring of love and affection in both Turkiye and Azerbaijan” for Pakistan, PM Shehbaz noted: “We could not but be mesmerised by the intensity of the fervour and enthusiasm of our common citizens during Pakistan’s recent conflict with India.”

He noted that India “not only failed to bring any credible evidence against Pakistan but also rejected our sincere and generous offer of a neutral, transparent investigation into the so-called incident in Pahalgam by any international body”.

At the outset of his speech, the premier congratulated Aliyev and the Azerbaijani nation on their Republic Day. “The way the Azeri nation fought for its liberation, you earned a high position in the community of nations.”

He also felicitated the Turkish president for “very skillfully resolving the issue” of the PKK, referring to the Kurdish rebels’ recent decision to disband. “That goes to explain in volumes, my brother, your diplomatic skills to resolve this issue, and by virtue of this, you have earned a high place and influence not only in the region, but beyond.”

Turkiye ready to ‘contribute’ to India-Pakistan peace

Addressing the summit, Erdogan expressed Turkiye’s willingness to mediate between India and Pakistan: “Our hope is that the declared ceasefire will evolve into permanent peace. Turkiye is ready to make every possible contribution to this end.”

Stressing that developments in the region revealed how important “solidarity among our countries is”, Erdogan said: “We are pleased with the ceasefire that ended the tension which erupted between Pakistan and India.

“I once again congratulate our brother Shehbaz and the Pakistani authorities for the calm and prudent attitude they displayed during the process,” he added.

“We are three brotherly countries sharing common ideals based on mutual affection, respect and trust nourished by the same climate of civilisation. We are further strengthening the bond among our countries.”

Noting that the three countries collectively had an economic size of $1.5 trillion, the Turkish president said, “We stand behind each and every step towards transforming our relationship into a strategic partnership.”

He noted that their countries were located in a highly strategic region and faced a variety of challenges.

“In the coming period, our foreign ministers will carry out the required work to institutionalise our trilateral cooperation and they will prepare a strong framework that reflects the common vision of our countries,” he said, mentioning the trade, energy, defence and counterterrorism fields.

The president also noted plans to cooperate in transport, education, energy security, food supply security and renewable energy.

Erdogan also slammed Israel’s “relentless cruelty and expansionist policies in Palestine”, terming it the “clearest example of crisis of the international system”. He called for increased global pressure on Israel for a permanent ceasefire and uninterrupted aid into the enclave.

Kicking off the summit, President Aliyev said: “The recent tensions between Pakistan and India had troubled us the most and we watched it very closely in the hope that peace would prevail, and from the early hours we have expressed our solidarity with brotherly Pakistan.

“We would like to see dialogue and negotiations in line with the UN Charter and resolutions; this is the way to move forward in this conflict.”

Aliyev noted that there is great potential for advanced technologies, artificial intelligence, space intelligence and exploration, as well as academic collaborations and cultural events.

“Reinvigorating tourism links will only enhance the ties between our people,” he said.

He also noted that unanimous support for Azerbaijan’s candidature for becoming a full-fledged member of the Developing-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation. “We express support to brotherly Turkiye and Pakistan.”

COAS Munir meets Azerbaijan defence minister

Separately, COAS Munir met with Azerbaijan’s Defence Minister Colonel Gen Hasanov Zakir Asgar Oglu in Lachin, the Inter-Services Public Relations said.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, and ways to further enhance defence cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, ISPR said.

The COAS appreciated the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and emphasised Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening defence ties with Azerbaijan.

Earlier today, PM Shehbaz extended heartfelt felicitations to President Aliyev and his nation on the “joyous occasion of Azerbaijan’s Independence Day”.

In a post on social media platform X, he said, “Pakistan deeply values its close fraternal bonds with Azerbaijan — rooted in shared history, mutual trust and unwavering support for each other.

“This year, it gives me great pleasure to be able to celebrate this historic day in Azerbaijan, alongside President Aliyev and our Azerbaijani brothers and sisters,” the premier added.

The prime minister expressed confidence that under President Aliyev’s “wise and sagacious leadership, our multi-dimensional partnership will continue to grow from strength to strength”.

PM Shehbaz arrived in Lachin yesterday on the third leg of his four-nation tour after visiting Turkiye and Iran. He will later depart for Tajikistan, where he will attend the International Conference on Glaciers in Dushanbe.

A day ago, the premier held a bilateral meeting with President Aliyev and thanked him for Azerbaijan’s support during the recent confrontation with India. COAS Munir was also present on the occasion.

The prime minister thanked Azerbaijan for its “steadfast support during the recent Pakistan-India confrontation in the face of Indian provocation”, a press release by the PM’s Office said.

They reaffirmed their shared commitment to diversifying the strategic partnership through investment in mutually beneficial avenues. The Azerbaijan side agreed to the exchange of delegations regarding the progress of Azerbaijan’s investment in Pakistan.

More to follow