Narendra Modi is set to take oath as Prime Minister of India for a record third time on Sunday (June 9). Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, India’s neighbouring nation Pakistan revealed the reason behind not congratulating Modi for winning the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Pakistan on Friday said it desired "cooperative ties" with all its neighbours, including India.
The country also looks forward to resolve disputes through talks. When asked if Pakistan congratulated Modi on winning the elections, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said it is the right of the Indian citizens to decide about their own leadership. "We do not have any comments on their electoral process," Baloch said, further adding that since the new government is yet to be officially formed, it is "premature" to discuss about congratulating Modi.
In an effort to maintain relations between both nations, Baloch claims that Pakistan always seeks to resolve any issues with India through constructive dialogue. "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 further said.
India's Foreign Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had earlier mentioned that India "never closed doors to talking to Pakistan" but the terrorism issue needs to be "fair, square at the centre of the conversation". "We have never closed our door.
