ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan’s leaders resorted to diplomacy via X on Monday, a day after Narendra Modi was sworn in as prime minister for the third time.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his elder brother and former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif congratulated Modi in posts on the social media platform within hours of each other, in what was Pakistan’s first response to the election results from across the border.
“Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership. Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia,” Nawaz said in one post.
Modi responded, saying “The people of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority.”
Modi secured a record-equalling third term but lost his outright majority and is dependent on regional parties for support in his first coalition government.
Nuclear-armed rivals and neighbors India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over control of the disputed Kashmir region in the Himalayas.
Ties between the two have been frozen since India ended the special status of Jammu and Kashmir state in 2019 and split it into two federally administered territories.
They came closer to yet another war when India launched air strikes inside Pakistan to target what it said was a militants’ sanctuary in 2019.
New Delhi invited leaders of seven regional countries to Sunday’s grand inauguration at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, or president’s palace, in New Delhi but Sharif wasn’t included.
A few hours after Shehbaz Sharif had wished him well, Modi responded on X: “Thank you @cmshehbaz for your good wishes.”
The elder Sharif has always been a proponent of peace with India, which is said to be one of the reasons he fell out with his country’s powerful military in his last tenure from 2013 to 2017.
Analysts don’t see any chance of peace talks between the two sides anytime soon, however.
“Modi is not ready as yet,” said author and defense analyst Ayesha Siddiqa. The two sides have some backdoor diplomatic initiatives, however, which may be a “a gentle start,” she said.
India, Pakistan leaders resort to X diplomacy as Modi returns for third term
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India, Pakistan leaders resort to X diplomacy as Modi returns for third term
- Pakistan’s Sharifs have always been a proponent of peace with India
- Analysts don’t see any chance of peace talks between the two sides
Cricket, travel, entertainment dominate Pakistan’s TikTok searches in 2025
- TikTok releases annual review of most searched items in Pakistan ranging from sports to movies and music
- Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam’s century was the most searched moment on TikTok this year, reveals platform
ISLAMABAD: TikTok this week released its annual review of the most searched topics in Pakistan in 2025, with travel, food, sports and entertainment driving digital searches, the video platform said.
In a press release, TikTok said its search patterns depicted that people use the platform as a “discovery tool for real life” where they explore destinations and find relatable guidance from influencers on various topics.
“Whether it’s tracking the latest cricket moment, planning a weekend trip, learning something new, or checking reviews before buying, Pakistanis are turning to TikTok to make everyday decisions,” Umais Naveed, content operations lead South Asia at TikTok, said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to TikTok, among places, the most searched were Islamabad, Altit Fort in Hunza, Chenab River and Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi.
In the “Most Searched News and Moments” category, former Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s century against Sri Lanka dominated the searches, followed by Pakistan’s cricket matches against South Africa and Sri Lanka. “Floods” was also a popular search item in this category.
“Jhol,” a Pakistani song by singers Maanu and Annural Khalid dominated the category of “Most Searched Soundtracks” while “Supreme” by Indian artist Shubh and “Pal Pal” by Afusic were also among the most searched songs this year.
“Lava burger” and “Dubai Chocolate” were among the most searched food items this year on TikTok while Azam was the most searched sportsperson in the country, followed by Indian cricketer Abhishek Sharma.
Alina Amir, Jannat Mirza, Khizar Umer and Kanwal Aftab were among the most searched TikTok creators in 2025 while Imran Ashraf, Fahad Mustafa and Mahira Khan were among the most searched celebrities on the social media platform.
TikTok said searches linked to the hashtag #TravelTok increased by 53 percent this year while those with #FoodTok rose by 52 percent. Another popular hashtag #StudyTok searches were up by 60 percent while #FitnessTok recorded the largest jump of the year, growing by 66 percent year-on-year.
“TikTok remains committed to supporting a vibrant creative community in Pakistan and to making discoveries simpler, more joyful, and more meaningful for everyone who comes to TikTok to find their next inspiration,” the platform said.
