Sharif’s admission

FORMER Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s candid admission that his country violated the 1999 Lahore Declaration marks a significant moment in the history of India-Pakistan relations. Twenty-five years on, Sharif’s apparent reference to the Kargil War has turned the spotlight on the controversial saga. Speaking at a meeting of the PML-N general council after being sworn in as its president on Tuesday, he acknowledged Pakistan’s role in undermining the peace initiative that he and then Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had championed. The Lahore Declaration, signed on February 21, 1999, helped foster a vision of peace and stability. However, this hope proved short-lived. The Kargil War, initiated by Pakistani incursion into Indian territory a few months later, shattered the nascent trust.

Sharif’s return to political prominence and his willingness to own up to past mistakes offer a glimmer of hope. He is prodding Pakistan to reassess its approach to India, raising a significant question: Can Sharif’s leadership turn introspection into a renewed effort for peace?

Sharif’s confession is significant in the broader geopolitical context, given the current state of India-Pakistan relations. Since the 2019 Pulwama attack, diplomatic ties have been severely strained, with both nations downgrading their missions. For a region beset with volatility, Sharif’s remarks open a window for reflection and reconciliation. This development should spur the two neighbours to rise above historical animosities and revisit their diplomatic strategies. It is imperative that they build on this opportunity, however tenuous, to explore avenues for dialogue. It is a chance to redefine their relationship not by the missteps of the past, but by the possibility of peaceful coexistence in future.