Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif Congratulates PM Modi For 3rd Term

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today extended his congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking oath as India's PM for a third successive term. 

"Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India," Mr Sharif posted on X.

Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India. — Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 10, 2024

This congratulatory message followed a rather reserved statement from Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, who on Saturday when queried about congratulating PM Modi, remarked, "We do not have any comments on their electoral process." She said that since the new Indian government had not officially been sworn in, it was "premature" to discuss congratulatory messages.

The PM Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a decisive victory in the recent Lok Sabha polls, clinching 293 out of 543 seats.

"Pakistan has always desired cooperative relations with all its neighbours including India. We have consistently advocated constructive dialogue and engagement to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir," Ms Baloch said. 

India maintains that it seeks cordial ties with Pakistan, stressing that Islamabad must first create an environment free of terror and hostility to enable such engagement.