Imran Khan Congratulates Modi, Looks Forward To Working With Him For Peace In South Asia

In a tweet, Imran Khan said he looked forward to working with Prime Minister Modi for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 23 May 2019 5:55 pm

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his electoral victory and said he looked forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia.

"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," he tweeted.

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
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 23, 2019

The congratulations came even as Pakistan test fired the Shaheen II surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Thursday.

In April, Khan said he believed there may be a better chance of peace talks with India and settle the Kashmir issue if Modi's party BJP wins the general elections.

The Pakistan Minister for Science and Technology Chowdhry Fawad Hussain also congratulated Modi.

Congs PM @narendramodi on a historic victory,PakNIndia are neighbors and Neighbors cannot be changed however, we can change destiny of both nations by giving peace a chance close cooperation in Science&Tech btw two countries can change fate of millions of people of this region
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) May 23, 2019

Tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14.

Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured an IAF pilot, who was handed over to India.

On Wednesday, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that his country has delivered a "message of peace" by opening the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India as he underlined the importance of "conflict resolution" for peace and stability in South Asia.

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Foreign Ministers' meeting in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, also attended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Qureshi said enduring peace and prosperity in South Asia will remain elusive without good-faith diplomacy and result-oriented dialogue.

(With PTI inputs)