A lot of leaders from across the world have been congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi ever since his party, the BJP, posted a huge victory in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections. Notable among them is Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Breaking the ice in bilateral ties, Khan on Sunday spoke to Modi and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of their people. Khan’s telephone call to Modi came days after the cricketer-turned-politician congratulated on Twitter the Indian Prime Minister on his massive electoral win in the polls.
According to Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal, Khan also congratulated Modi on his party’s electoral victory in the Lok Sabha elections. Reiterating his vision for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia, Prime Minister Khan said he looks forward to working with Prime Minister Modi to advance these objectives, Faisal said on Twitter. Khan expressed his desire for both countries to work together for betterment of their peoples, he added.
On Thursday, after the election results, Khan tweeted in English and Urdu: ‘I congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies. Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia’.Modi replied: ‘Thank you PM @ImranKhanPTI. I warmly express my gratitude for your good wishes. I have always given primacy to peace and development in our region.’ Modi and Khan are scheduled to meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, next month. Ahead of the meet, such positive interactions between leaders of the two neighbouring countries, whose ties were strained all these decades, are good signs.