Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif Demands Restoration Of Article 370, Puts Onus On India To Make Peaceful Progress

Talking about the Indo-Pak relations, Sharif said that the tensions between both the countries have spiked since the abrogation of Article 370 that ripped Kashmir of its special status. 

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif

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New Delhi: Pakistan’s newly appointed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his first address to the nation on Friday, said that for durable peace in South Asia, it is the duty of India to reverse the Aug 5, 2019 actions in Kashmir, so that we can make solid progress to solve all problems, including Jammu and Kashmir, through peaceful means, news agency PTI reported. 

Talking about the Indo-Pak relations, Sharif said that the tensions between both the countries have spiked since the abrogation of Article 370 that ripped Kashmir of its special status. 

Tensions between India and Pakistan have spiked since New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, he said. India's decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy. 

Meanwhile, since the abrogation of Article 370, India has maintained that it is an internal matter and has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir "was, is and shall forever" remain an integral part of the country.

Meanwhile, on Friday, India also termed “unacceptable” the comments made by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik.

According to a report by PTI, the Ministry of External Affairs said to OIC not to justify terrorism in any manner. 

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "India finds unacceptable the comments made by OIC-IPHRC today criticising India for the judgment in the case of Yasin Malik.”

"The world seeks zero tolerance of terrorism and we urge OIC not to justify it in any manner," the spokesperson said.

Yasin Malik was given life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 lakh this week after he pled guilty.