New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called Prime Minister-designate of Pakistan Imran Khan whose PTI party emerged the single-largest in the recently conducted Pakistan elections and is looking to form a government with the aid of other parties and independents.
The statement from PMO Read:
Prime Minister speaks to Imran Khan, Chairperson of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party
Prime Minister spoke to Mr Imran Khan, Chairperson of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party and congratulated him for his party emerging as the largest political party in the National Assembly of Pakistan in the recently conducted general elections.
Prime Minister expressed hope that democracy will take deeper roots in Pakistan.
Prime Minister also reiterated his vision of peace and development in the entire neighbourhood.
New Delhi
30 July 2018
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On July 28, the MEA in a statement said that “India desired to have a prosperous and progressive Pakistan at peace with its neighbours.”
In response to questions from the media regarding the general elections in Pakistan, MEA official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “We welcome that the people of Pakistan have reposed their faith in democracy through general elections. India desires to have a prosperous and progressive Pakistan at peace with its neighbours.”
India expressed hope that the newly elected government would work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asia which will be free of terrorism and violence.
The PTI emerged as the single largest party with 115 seats after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) released the complete preliminary results for 270 of 272 National Assembly (NA) constituencies. However, the party fell short of the 137-majority mark.
In his first speech after the elections, Imran on July 26 said he would like to have good relations with India and work to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue.
Mentioning Kashmir as the core issue of dispute between the two nations, he said that it was time the two countries sat across the table and discussed the issues of concern.
“We should sit across and resolve the issues instead of we blaming India for problems in Balochistan and they blame us for problems in Kashmir. I can say that if you (India) will take one step forward, we will take two steps forward. The relationship between the two countries has been one-sided so far and Pakistan has been blamed for all sorts of terrorism in the world. We want friendship with India and want to resolve all issues through dialogue,” Imran asserted.