Shehbaz Sharif thanks Modi for wishes, says Pakistan desires peaceful ties with India

New Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif insisted that peaceful settlement of outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, is indispensable.

Shehbaz Sharif speaks after winning a parliamentary vote to elect a new prime minister, at the national assembly, in Islamabad (PID handout via Reuters)

Thanking Narendra Modi for congratulating him, Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said that his country desires peaceful and cooperative ties with India.

Within minutes of being sworn in as the PM on Monday, Sharif was congratulated by Modi, adding that “India desires peace and stability in a region free of terror, so that we can focus on our development challenges and ensure the well-being and prosperity of our people.”

Replying to Modi, Sharif tweeted: “Pakistan desires peaceful & cooperative ties with India. Peaceful settlement of outstanding disputes including Jammu & Kashmir is indispensable. Pakistan’s sacrifices in fighting terrorism are well-known. Let’s secure peace and focus on socio-economic development of our people.”

Thank you Premier Narendra Modi for felicitations. Pakistan desires peaceful & cooperative ties with India. Peaceful settlement of outstanding disputes including Jammu & Kashmir is indispensable. Pakistan’s sacrifices in fighting terrorism are well-known. Let’s secure peace and.. https://t.co/0M1wxhhvjV

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) April 12, 2022

On Monday, Pakistan Parliament elected unopposed Shehbaz Sharif as the 23rd Prime Minister of the country, bringing an end to the political uncertainty that had gripped the nation since a no-confidence motion was introduced against his predecessor Imran Khan on March 8.

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Sharif, the younger brother of former three-time PM Nawaz Sharif, was the only candidate left in the race after former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced that his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party would boycott the voting, and staged a walkout.

In his maiden address to the House as the PM, Sharif said, “We want good ties with India but durable peace is not possible until the Kashmir dispute is resolved.”

He had also attacked Imran Khan for not making “serious and diplomatic efforts” when India abrogated Article 370 in August 2019.

He also asked Modi to come forward to address the Kashmir issue so that the two countries could concentrate on tackling poverty, unemployment, shortage of medicines and other issues on two sides of the border.

(with PTI inputs)

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