ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan took to Twitter on Thursday to congratulate India’s Narendra Modi on the runaway election win of his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a gesture the newly elected two-time Indian prime minister reciprocated with his own conciliatory message.
The messages of peace come after Narendra Modi returned to power in New Delhi in an election fought in the wake of confrontation between the nuclear-armed enemies. Modi’s victory is also widely believed to have been achieved on the plank of a tougher stand on national security, including ties with arch-rival Islamabad.
The two nations have had tense relations in recent months following a confrontation that saw them carry out an aerial bombing mission against each other earlier this year, and even fight a brief dogfight, before tensions subsided.
“I congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies,” Khan said in a Twitter post. “Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia.”
Shortly after a victory speech before thousands of supporters gathered outside the BJP’s headquarters on Thursday evening, Modi thanked Khan: “I warmly express my gratitude for your good wishes. I have always given primacy to peace and development in our region.”
Official data from India’s Election Commission showed Modi’s BJP on course to increase its majority in India’s parliament, the first back-to-back majority for a single party since 1984.
While tackling economic problems at home, Modi will also keep a close eye on relations with Pakistan during his second term as prime minister.
Pakistan on Wednesday signaled a willingness to open talks, with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmud Qureshi saying after briefly meeting his Indian counterpart Shushma Swaraj at the sidelines of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek: “We never speak bitterly, we want to live like good neighbors and settle our outstanding issues.”
“I told Sushma that we are still firm on the statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan that if India takes one step forward, Pakistan would reciprocate with two,” Qureshi added.
Despite the foreign minister’s reconciliatory tone, as it became clear on Thursday that Modi was set to win the massive, multi-stage poll, Pakistan’s army test fired a surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of delivering conventional and nuclear weapons in what was seen as a veiled warning to India.
The dispute over the former princely state of Kashmir, which both countries claim in full but rule in part, sparked the first two of three wars between India and Pakistan after independence in 1947.
On Thursday, a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said the Kashmir dispute could only be resolved through implementation of UN Security Council resolutions that call for an end to hostilities and a plebiscite in the region.
“Dialogue is hence essential. We remain committed to the same, irrespective of whoever forms the new government in India,” he told reporters in Islamabad.
Khan has repeatedly offered to start talks with India to resolve the Kashmir issue, which has been the cause of two of three wars between the countries, and officials have said that they hoped the process could start once the election is concluded.
Last month he said he believed there was more prospect of peace talks with Indian if the BJP won the election.
“Pakistan will be in a position to present the new Indian government with a historic opportunity to frame a new deal for this region and its prosperity,” Mosharraf Zaidi, columnist and foreign policy analyst, told Arab News, commenting on prospects for peace between India and Pakistan following India’s landmark poll.
Zaidi said all issues including Kashmir could be resolved through dialogue and urged political consensus within Pakistan before proceeding with negotiations with India.
“None of these issues are unresolvable,” he added. “But at least within Pakistan, a serious effort at detente and normalization with India demands a wide spectrum of political ownership.”
Pakistan, India make conciliatory overtures as Modi clinches second term as PM
Pakistan, India make conciliatory overtures as Modi clinches second term as PM
- Khan says looking forward to working with Modi for “peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia”
- Modi says has always given "primacy" to peace and development in the region
Pakistan awaits mandate clarity before committing troops to Gaza stabilization force, FO says
- Foreign office says Islamabad cannot commit to contributing troops unless it obtains clarity on the force’s mandate
- Says Pakistan can be part of peacekeeping force but not of any disarming or de-militarization mandates
ISLAMABAD: Foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said on Thursday that Pakistan has identified its “red lines” on contributing to the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, adding that Islamabad would be unable to take a decision on the matter without clarity about the force’s mandate.
Andrabi’s comments come as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gears up to attend the inaugural Board of Peace meeting to be chaired by US President Donald Trump in Washington today, Thursday.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza calls for a multi-nation force to oversee a transition period for reconstruction and economic recovery in the Palestinian territory. Pakistan has previously said it is willing to contribute troops for the peace force but would not be part of any move to disarm Hamas.
“On the international security assistance force, we understand that a decision is awaited on the contours of the mandate of the Board of Peace, on the mandate of the International Stabilization Force,” Andrabi said during a weekly briefing to reporters.
“And till such time, we would obviously not be in a position to take any decision on this matter. We have identified our red lines quite explicitly.”
Andrabi quoted a previous statement of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar by saying: “Pakistan can be part of the peacekeeping mandate, but we would obviously not be part of any disarming, de-militarization mandates.”
He said discussion on the international force might take place in Washington today.
The foreign office spokesperson said Pakistan has joined the Board of Peace with a particular focus of aiding in the reconstruction of Gaza and for the long-term settlement of issues faced by Palestinians.
Andrabi said Israel’s recent move to register lands in the West Bank will also come up in the Board of Peace meeting today.
“That is how Israel is violating international law, UN resolutions on wider occupied Palestinian territories, not just Gaza,” he said.
“So, I think the board of peace meeting affords an opportunity to discuss this important development.”
SAUDI MEDIATION FOR PAKISTANI DETAINEES
To a question about the release of three Pakistani detainees by Afghanistan this week on Saudi Arabia’s mediation, Andrabi welcomed the role played by the Kingdom and “other brotherly Muslim countries.”
Afghanistan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced on Tuesday that it had released three Pakistani soldiers captured during border clashes between the two countries in October after mediation from Saudi Arabia. Mujahid said the detainees were handed over to a visiting Saudi delegation in Kabul.
“Pakistan values the positive role of our brotherly countries, our important OIC Islamic countries, in basically messaging Taliban leadership, reminding them of their obligations under international law, to ensure that their territory is not used for terrorism in Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.
“I think such an exchange also took place between Riyadh and Kabul.”
However, he said Saudi Arabia was not part of any “structured mediation talks” between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“I am not aware of that role and I would strongly urge you not to speculate into it,” he said.
To a question about Pakistan’s response if India violates the Indus Waters Treaty, Andrabi said Islamabad will not compromise on its water rights.
“We will not let India weaponize water. We will not compromise on even a single drop of water that this treaty allows us to have a share of, and we will not compromise on the water rights of the people of Pakistan,” he added.
