Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote a letter to his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Sunday, calling on him to “secure peaceful and cooperative ties” between the two countries for regional progress.
The prime minister’s letter came in response to the congratulatory message sent by the Indian premier Modi to the Pakistani leader earlier on April 12 to congratulate him on becoming the prime minister of Pakistan.
“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 tweeted on April 11 when the Pakistan parliament selected Sharif as the 23rd prime minister of the country.
In the letter, Modi had called for “constructive engagements” with Pakistan to deal with common challenges while saying that India desires peace and stability in a region free of terrorism.
While writing back to Modi, PM Shehbaz penned down similar sentiments while reminding India that Pakistan’s sacrifices in the war on terror were prominent and well recognized by the international community.
“Reciprocating your sentiments, I wish to convey that Pakistan remains committed to the maintenance of regional peace and security,” the PM said in the letter, a copy of which was available with The Express Tribune.
“Our sacrifices and contributions in fighting and eliminating terrorism are well known and globally acknowledged,” he wrote while responding to Modi’s reference to the issue of terrorism in his congratulatory letter.
The PM said that peaceful and cooperative ties between the two countries are imperative for the progress and socioeconomic uplift of our people and the region. Sharif further said that this could be best achieved through “meaningful engagement” and “peaceful resolution” of all outstanding disputes, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.