Pakistans PM Shehbaz Sharif Congratulates PM Narendra Modi

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on securing a third term in the office. Sharif extended his felicitation to Modi after the latter took oath of the office on Sunday. 

“Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India,” said the Pakistan PM in a social media post on X.

Notably, Sharif’s greeting comes days after other leaders from the neighbouring countries as well as prominent global leaders including US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Modi on the hat-trick victory. 

The Pakistan Prime Minister’s congratulatory message ensues a rather reserved statement from the country’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch. 

Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 10, 2024

On being enquired about congratulating Narendra Modi on Saturday, Baloch remarked, “We do not have any comments on their electoral process,” reported NDTV. 

The Pak officer also said that it was “premature” to discuss congratulatory messages since the new Indian government had not officially been sworn in. 

“Pakistan has always desired cooperative relations with all its neighbours including India. We have consistently advocated constructive dialogue and engagement to resolve all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir,” Baloch said, as per the NDTV report. 

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office of Prime Minister to Narendra Modi on Sunday while 71 NDA leaders were also sworn-in as Council of Ministers. The swearing-in ceremony was attended by foreign leaders including Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Nepal PM Pushp Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Bhutan PM Tshering Togbay. 

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, Mauritain Prime Minister Pravind Jaganauth, and Seychelles Vice President Ahmed Afif were invited to the ceremony in line with the PM’s ‘SAGAR’ vision. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA came to power for a third term after it registered its win on 293 of the 543 seats.