Islamabad: In a surprising and remarkably candid admission, Rana Sanaullah Khan, the special advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has publicly blamed his own country’s leadership for ruining diplomatic relations with India. Speaking during a television program, the senior political figure expressed deep regret over Pakistan’s hostile approach towards Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that Islamabad lost a golden opportunity for regional peace due to blind opposition.
Sanaullah sent shockwaves through the Pakistani political establishment by defending backdoor diplomacy. He pointed out that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had successfully created a conducive environment for peace and stability in the region. Although he did not explicitly name the event, the advisor strongly hinted at the historic surprise visit of PM Modi to Lahore, which was seen as a major diplomatic breakthrough before relations nosedived.
“We had a brilliant chance to establish a strong friendship with India, but we lost everything because of our blind opposition to PM Modi,” Sanaullah stated. Highlighting the severe economic consequences of this hostility, he boldly added that if Pakistan had maintained friendly ties with its neighbor, the country would not have been forced to repeatedly seek financial bailouts from the International Monetary Fund.
Addressing the current state of bilateral relations, the advisor lamented the complete breakdown in communication. “Today, if Modi does not pick up our phone calls, we ourselves are responsible for it,” he remarked.
When questioned by the anchor about accusations of him being overly sympathetic towards the Indian Prime Minister, Sanaullah dismissed the criticism and highlighted the irony in the stance of Pakistan. “You people complain that it is a big problem. You say Modi is not answering the phone, he has been silent, and we do not know what he will do next. There is a constant fear of a missile attack on us. Yet, when he visits our home, you hurl abuses at him,” he retorted.
These striking remarks from a sitting advisor to the Prime Minister underscore the growing realization within sections of the Pakistani political landscape regarding the devastating cost of their anti India rhetoric. As Islamabad continues to grapple with severe political instability and a crippling economic crisis, the comments from Sanaullah have ignited a fierce debate about the urgent need for a massive course correction in the foreign policy of Pakistan.