New Delhi: People of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday responding to a congratulatory message on his re-election from former Pakistan PM and chief of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Nawaz Sharif.
While Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also posted on ‘X” a message to Modi felicitating him on becoming prime minister, his brother Nawaz Sharif in his post said the success in Lok Sabha polls reflected the confidence of the people in Modi’s leadership and called for replacing “hate with hope” to shape the destiny of people of the two nations.
“My warm felicitations to Modi Ji (@narendramodi) on assuming office for the third time. Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership,” Nawaz Sharif said.
“Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia,” he said.
Modi thanked his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif for their congratulatory messages on retaining the top office for a third term.
“Appreciate your message @NawazSharifMNS. The people of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority,” Modi said, in reply to Nawaz Sharif.
Since the counting of votes of the Lok Sabha polls was concluded on June 4, leaders of nearly 100 countries congratulated Modi for the victory of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The Pakistan prime minister said: “Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India.”
“Thank you @cmshehbaz for your good wishes,” Modi said in reply to Shehbaz Sharif’s message on ‘X’.
Seven leaders from countries in India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Modi and the Union Council of Ministers on Sunday.
The leaders from these countries and several others had called up and sent congratulatory messages to Modi following the NDA’s electoral victory.
The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India’s warplanes pounded a “Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot” in Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.
The relations further deteriorated after August 5, 2019 following the withdrawal of special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories.
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.
