New Delhi: In his first interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, newly-elected Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif positioned Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘dispute’ and called for settlement.
Replying to Modi after he congratulated him on his appointment, Sharif tweeted: “Thank you Premier Narendra Modi for felicitations. Pakistan desires peaceful & cooperative ties with India. Peaceful settlement of outstanding disputes including Jammu & Kashmir is indispensable. Pakistan’s sacrifices in fighting terrorism are well-known…”
Modi congratulated Sharif on his election as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan.
In a tweet, Modi said, “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.”
Apart from India, Sharif also expressed his desire to have better relations with the US, European Union, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran.
Sharif was elected as the 23rd Prime Minister of Pakistan with 174 lawmakers voting in his favor after the MNAs of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf boycotted the election.
Sharif takes over the reins when Pakistan battles a severe economic crisis coupled with the lack of reforms, which has added to the already existent long-term, intractable problems.
Sharif announced immediate raise in the minimum wage of Rs 25,000 and also promised to raise pensions by at least 10 percent for those getting under Rs 1,00,000 in pensions.
