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Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has admitted that Pakistan violated an agreement signed between him and his Indian counterpart, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in 1999. The agreement, known as the Lahore Declaration, was aimed at improving relations between the two countries and preventing future conflicts.
Sharif made the admission during a speech in Islamabad on Tuesday, the 26th anniversary of Pakistan's first nuclear tests. He said that Pakistan had carried out the tests in response to India's own nuclear tests in 1998, but that he had refused an offer of $5 billion from US President Bill Clinton to stop the tests.
Sharif also accused Pakistan's then-chief justice, Saqib Nisar, of falsely accusing him of being the prime minister in 2017 and consequently dismissing him from office. He said that while the allegations against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder leader Imran Khan were genuine, all the ones against him were untrue.
Sharif's admission of Pakistan's responsibility for the Kargil conflict is significant, as it is the first time that a Pakistani leader has publicly acknowledged that Pakistan was the aggressor in the war. The conflict, which lasted for two months in 1999, resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 soldiers from both sides.
Sharif's speech comes at a time of heightened tensions between Pakistan and India. The two countries have been engaged in a long-running dispute over the Kashmir region, and there have been several recent incidents of cross-border firing.
It is hoped that Sharif's admission of Pakistan's responsibility for the Kargil conflict will help to pave the way for improved relations between the two countries. However, it remains to be seen whether India will be willing to forgive Pakistan for its past actions.
Source: Nawaz Sharif says Pakistan 'violated' agreement with India signed by him and Vajpayee in 1999