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Six days after BJP's win, Pakistan PM congratulates Narendra Modi
Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India for the third time in a row.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday congratulated Narendra Modi for becoming the Prime Minister of India for the third time in a row. The congratulatory post came six days after PM Modi's BJP emerged as the single-largest party in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament
"Felicitations to Narendra Modi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India," Sharif wrote on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders ridiculed Pakistan during their election campaigns. They also attacked India's opposition leaders after a former Pakistani minister, Fawad Chaudhry, praised them.
During his poll campaign, PM Modi also referred to the surgical and air strikes ordered by his government against Pakistan following the Uri and Pulwama terror attacks, and said Indian forces killed terrorists in their own turf.
Also read: Pakistan reveals reason behind not congratulating Narendra Modi
BJP leaders also mocked Pakistan's crippling economic issues, including skyrocketing food and fuel inflation.
In a grand event on Sunday, PM Modi and his council of ministers took oath of office. Several leaders of neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, Nepal PM Pushp Kumar Dahal Prachand and Maldives President Mohammed Muizzu, attended PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony.
PM Modi later interacted with these leaders at the banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu.
Pakistan on Friday said it desired “cooperative ties” with all its neighbours, including India. However, the foreign office spokesperson of Pakistan, when asked why the country hadn't congratulated Narendra Modi over his electoral victory, appeared to be evasive.
Foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said it was the right of the people of India to decide about their own leadership, adding her country didn't have any comment to make on India's electoral process. She further said since the formation of government was going on in India, it was “premature” to talk about congratulating Narendra Modi.
