Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Pakistan’s new PM Shehbaz Sharif on Monday, with a message of peace in a region “free of terror”. In a speech to the National Assembly a few hours earlier, Mr. Sharif had said that Pakistan desires good ties with India, which is “not possible without the resolution of the Kashmir dispute”.
The comments from both leaders, while different from the period of no bilateral engagement between Indian and Pakistani leaders during the last few years of ousted PM Imran Khan’s tenure, indicated that both sides will maintain their positions on terrorism and Jammu and Kashmir respectively.
“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,” said Mr. Modi, expressing his congratulations to Mr. Sharif, in a tweet just minutes after Mr. Sharif was sworn in as Prime Minister in Islamabad.
