Islamabad: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged India to engage in negotiations and inclusive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues between the two countries, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and water-sharing concerns. Speaking before a gathering of Pakistani military officers and soldiers, Sharif reaffirmed Islamabad's commitment to peace, while emphasizing that Pakistan is fully prepared to repel any future attacks.

According to Qatar News Agency, Sharif said that Pakistan seeks peace. They are advocates of peace. They want peace in this region, as well as development and prosperity. But no one should mistake their desire for peace as weakness, stressing that his country remains ready for both peace and war if necessary.

Tensions between Pakistan and India have heightened in recent days, with military confrontations involving missile strikes, artillery shelling, and drone attacks. This escalation followed an April-end attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities in the tourist city of Pahalgam.