Indian officials skip Pakistan national day celebrations

Enhancing mutual understanding and resolving longstanding disputes for a new dawn in Pakistan-India relations, says Pakistani envoy.

A "new dawn" in Pakistan-India relations can emerge by enhancing mutual understanding, addressing shared concerns and resolving "longstanding disputes", including the Kashmir issue, Pakistani Charge d'Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich has said.

The comments by the Pakistani envoy came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a podcast that every attempt to foster peace with Pakistan was met with hostility and betrayal and that he hoped wisdom would prevail on the leadership in Islamabad to improve bilateral ties.

Mr. Warraich made the remarks at a reception hosted by the Pakistani High Commission on Thursday (March 21, 2025) night on the occasion of the country's national day.

There was no representation from the Indian side at the event. It is not clear whether Pakistan invited Indian officials for the reception.

India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement.

New Delhi has also been stressing that the entire Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and Pakistan has been illegally occupying parts of the Union territory.

The Pakistani diplomat stressed that Islamabad has consistently endeavoured friendly relations with other states based on the principles of "sovereign equality, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence." This edifying approach has also guided our quest to seek peaceful relations with India, he noted.