War with India not an option: Sharif

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said war with India was not an option as tensions escalate between the two neighbouring countries, a media report said on Friday.

During a meeting with President Mamnoon Hussain in Islamabad on Thursday, Sharif said his government desired friendly ties with India, all its neighbours and the world at large for sustainable development, the Nation reported.

Sharif wished to resolve all the outstanding issues with India through dialogue as he believed the use of force could only worsen the situation, an official who attended the meeting said.

“They discussed the regional situation and reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to have friendly relations with all the neighbouring countries for peace and prosperity in the region,” the official said.

“India’s support for insurgents and the terrorists came under discussion and they vowed to expose India’s real face if it did not stop the activity.”

Nawaz said the US and world powers wanted a Pakistan-India dialogue but it was New Delhi which was not cooperating.

“We have always been for talks,” the prime minister said.

During the meeting, Sharif also briefed Hussain on his recent visit to the US and his meeting with President Barack Obama.

“The prime minister was largely satisfied with the Obama meeting. He felt the US had supported Pakistan’s stances on Kashmir and the resumption of dialogue process with India,” the official added.

The meeting was attended by Tariq Fatemi, special assistant to the prime minister on foreign affairs and Asif Kirmani, special assistant to the prime minister on political affairs.