'War not an option for both nations': Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif expresses desire for permanent peace with India

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed Islamabad's wish for "lasting peace" with India through discussion and repeated that violence is not an option for both nations in resolving the Kashmir problem, news agency PTI reported on Saturday.

Addressing a delegation of students from Harvard University, the Pakistan PM said that sustainable peace in the region was related to the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the UN resolutions, The News International newspaper reported.

"Pakistan vows to maintain peace in the area," Sharif said, adding, "We seek permanent peace with India through discussion since war is not an option for either of the countries."

Sharif also said that Islamabad and New Delhi should compete in trade, and economy.

The premier also held a talk with students about Pakistan's current difficulties. In response to one of the questions, the Prime Minister said that Pakistan's economic crisis is the result of structural issues as well as political instability over the years.

He said that the first few decades since Pakistan's birth saw significant growth across all sectors of the economy when there were plans, national will, and an implementation system in place to generate results.

It is to be noted that India-Pakistan relations have frequently been strained as a result of the Kashmir dispute and cross-border terrorism coming from Pakistan.