'Indian People Have Always Stood For Peace': PM Modi Replies To Nawaz Sharif’s 'Hope And Opportunity' Message

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday responded to the congratulatory note sent to him on social media on forming the government by former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“Appreciate your message @NawazSharifMNS. The people of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority,” Prime Minister Modi said.

Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also took to social media site X to send a congratulatory note to his counterpart. But the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) leader and Shehbaz’s brother Nawaz Sharif in his message said that PM Modi’s victory shows the faith people have in his leadership.

He said that the success in Lok Sabha polls reflected the confidence of the people in Modi’s leadership and called for replacing “hate with hope” to shape the destiny of people of the two nations.

“My warm felicitations to Modi Ji (@narendramodi) on assuming office for the third time. Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership,” Nawaz Sharif said.

“Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia,” he said.

The Pakistan prime minister earlier said: “Felicitations to @narendramodi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India.” “Thank you @cmshehbaz for your good wishes,” Modi said in reply to Shehbaz Sharif’s message on ‘X’.

The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India’s warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.

The relations further deteriorated after August 5, 2019 following the withdrawal of special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories.

India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement.

Since the counting of votes of the Lok Sabha polls was concluded on June 4, leaders of nearly 100 countries congratulated Modi for the victory of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Seven leaders from countries in India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region attended the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Modi and the Union Council of Ministers on Sunday.