Lahore, October 17,2024- Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with a delegation of Indian journalists who were in Pakistan to cover the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Conference. During the meeting, Nawaz Sharif expressed his desire for the restoration of Pakistan-India relations and the revival of cricket between the two neighbouring countries.
The meeting took place in Lahore, with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also present. While speaking with the Indian journalists, Nawaz Sharif highlighted the potential for the SCO conference to serve as a positive step towards improving diplomatic ties between Pakistan and India. He emphasized that better relations between the two countries could lead to significant overall improvements in various areas.
Sharif also voiced his hope that the Indian cricket team would visit Pakistan to participate in the upcoming Champions Trophy, noting, “If you ask the Indian team, they would likely express a desire to come and play in Pakistan.” He further remarked that it would have been beneficial if the Indian Prime Minister had personally attended the SCO conference. Reflecting on the strained history between the two nations, Nawaz Sharif acknowledged the challenges but stressed the importance of moving forward. On the same occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz shared her interest in visiting Indian Punjab, stating, “I want to see the differences between the two regions. Pakistani and Indian Punjab have much to learn from one another.”