NEW DELHI – Indian PM Narendra Modi has telephoned Pakistan PM elect ImranKhan and congratulated him over his victory in the general elections 2018.
This comes as Imran Khan made talks offer to India in his first address tothe nation after his historic victory in the elections.
India on Saturday formally welcomed the fact that “the people of Pakistanhave reposed their faith in democracy through general elections” and hoped“the new government” would work for a South Asia “free of terror andviolence”. But India did not mention the new prime minister-in-waitingImran Khan by name or respond to his talks offer.
Three days after the July 25 polling date, the Election Commission ofPakistan released the official results with 115 seats for Imran Khan’sPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). At second place was the erstwhile rulingparty, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) with 64 seats, followed by thePakistan’s Peoples Party with 43 seats.
The PTI has emerged as the single largest party but is short of themajority mark of 137 in the National Assembly. As per Pakistani mediareports, PTI has already reached out to smaller parties for support to forma coalition government. Among the smaller parties in the assembly arethe Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), a coalition of religious parties, with12 seats, and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) with 6 seats.
A couple of hours after the much-delayed official results were out, Indiaissued a public response.
“We welcome that the people of Pakistan have reposed their faith indemocracy through general elections,” said MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar,adding that India “desires a prosperous and progressive Pakistan at peacewith its neighbours”.
“We hope that the new Government of Pakistan will work constructively tobuild a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asia free of terror andviolence,” said Kumar.
Earlier on Thursday, Khan had said that it would be “good for all of us” ifPakistan had good relations with India.
He advocated improved trade ties, but also referred to the Kashmir disputeas the “core issue” between the two South Asian countries.