NEW DELHI, April 12 (NNN-Bernama) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Pakistan’s new premier Shehbaz Sharif and expressed his desire for peace between the two countries.
“Congratulations to H. E. Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. India desires peace and stability in a region free of terror, so that we can focus on our development challenges and ensure the well-being and prosperity of our people,” he said.
The two nations have fought three wars since 1947 and the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir is at the heart of their decades-long tensions.
Shehbaz, speaking in the National Assembly after getting elected as prime minister, said the previous Pakistan government didn’t do “serious diplomacy” for the Kashmiris after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomous status in August 2019.
“We favour good relations with India but durable peace cannot be established till a just solution to the Kashmir issue is found,” Shehbaz said.
“We will raise our voice for Kashmiri brothers and sisters at every forum, make diplomatic efforts, (and) give them diplomatic and moral support,” he added.
The new Pakistan prime minister said the issue should be settled on the basis of United Nations resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
— NNN-BERNAMA