Pakistan expressed its desire for "cooperative ties" with all neighboring countries, including India, and emphasized the importance of resolving disputes through dialogue, a day before Narendra Modi is set to assume the prime minister's office for an unprecedented third term.
During her weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch highlighted that Pakistan has been acting responsibly despite the challenges and rhetoric coming from India.
“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,” she said.
Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations with India after the Indian Parliament revoked Article 370 on August 5, 2019, a move that Islamabad argued hindered the possibility of talks between the two nations.
India has maintained its desire for normal neighborly relations with Pakistan, while insisting that it is up to Islamabad to create a terror-free and non-hostile environment for such engagement.
Baloch noted, "...Pakistan believes in peaceful coexistence...We hope that India will take steps to create a conducive environment for the advancement of peace and dialogue and resolution of long-standing disputes for the mutual benefit of the peoples of Pakistan and India.”
When asked about Pakistan's expectations from the Indian elections, where Prime Minister Modi is set to be re-elected for a third term, Baloch said the question was premature, as the government formation process was still ongoing.
“So, I am not in a position to comment on your question,” she said.
Modi is poised to take office as India's prime minister on Sunday for a historic third consecutive term, with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, the results of which were announced on Tuesday.
In response to another question about whether Pakistan had officially congratulated Modi on his election victory, Baloch said it is the prerogative of the Indian people to choose their leadership.
“We do not have any comments on their electoral process,” she said, noting that since the government formation in India was still in progress, it was “premature” to discuss congratulating the Indian prime minister.
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