In response to Nawaz Sharif’s congratulatory post, PM Modi says ‘security of our people is priority’
Ajay Banerjee
New Delhi, June 10
In what could be initial-steps towards having a working relationship between India and Pakistan, former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Monday greeted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called for new beginning asking to replace ‘hate with hope’ and to ‘seize the opportunity’ to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia.
Within two hours of Sharif’s post on X, PM Modi responded by ‘appreciating’ the message and laid down what is India’s position, making it clear that people of India always stood for ‘peace, security and progressive ideas’.
Modi said advancing the ‘well-being’ and security of our people shall always remain our priority.
Modi’s message on X to Sharif said “Appreciate your message. 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”.
Nawaz Sharif, whose younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, is the Prime Minister of Pakistan, had posted on X: “My warm felicitations to Modi Ji on assuming office for the third time. Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership. Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia”
Earlier on Monday morning, a day after Modi took oath of office, Shehbaz Sharif sent in his ‘felicitations’.
His one-line ‘matter-of-fact’ post on X was identical to what Indian PM had put out when Sharif took over the Government in his country in March this year.
On Monday Pak PM put out a post on X saying “Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India.”
Modi thanked him later in the evening, around the same time he had responded to Nawaz Sharif.
The post by Pak PM was near identical to what Modi had put out after Sharif had taken oath in his country. Modi on March 5 had posted “Congratulations to @CMShehbaz on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan”.
Ironically, both countries now have a government run on strength of coalition partners.
On Saturday, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, answering questions of the media in Islamabad said “Pakistan desired cordial and cooperative ties with all its neighbours, including India, and wants to resolve disputes through talks”.
When Narendra Modi took oath yesterday, top leadership of seven neighbouring and Indian Ocean countries was present.
India had invited the Prime Minister of Pakistan when Modi took oath of his first-term in 2014.
The present diplomatic freeze in India-Pakistan bilateral relations meant an invite in 2024 was ruled out as bilateral ties are not even in ‘working mode’.
Diplomatically the scenarios of 2014 and 2024 are vastly different. As of now there is a ban on trade between the two sides, high commissioners of either side are not in place, Jammu and Kashmir cross border confidence building measures are not there and political contact is missing.
