Pakistan's recently re-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (March 7) through a social media platform. Sharif, aged 72, officially assumed office on Monday (March 4) for the second time, following an election marked by allegations of vote rigging.
"Thank you @narendramodi for your congratulations on my re-election as Prime Minister of Pakistan," Sharif conveyed in a message on the said platform.
Prime Minister Modi had extended his congratulations to Shehbaz Sharif the day after his oath-taking ceremony on Tuesday (March 5), acknowledging Sharif's ascension to the role of Pakistan's 24th Prime Minister.
In his inaugural address to the National Assembly after being elected, Sharif emphasized his government's commitment to maintaining equitable relations with neighboring countries, steering clear of entanglements in external geopolitical rivalries.
"We aim to foster relations with our neighbors based on the principles of mutual respect and equality," he affirmed.
However, Sharif also raised the longstanding issue of Kashmir, drawing a parallel with the situation in Palestine.
Relations between India and Pakistan have remained strained since the 2016 terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base, perpetrated by terror outfits allegedly based in Pakistan. Tensions escalated further following India's airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp inside Pakistan in February 2019, in retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.
The relationship soured further with India's decision to abrogate Article 370, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two union territories in August 2019.
India has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and has urged Pakistan to engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue, free from terrorism and hostility.
