ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Thursday said that India has responded positively after Pakistan offered an olive branch to the arch-rival following their one-month long general elections.
In his congratulatory letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this month, Prime Minister Imran Khan felicitated him on assuming office for a second term, had renewed Pakistan’s offer to hold dialogue with India to resolve contentious issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and terrorism, to restore peace in the region, and address the problems confronting the people of the two countries.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had also written a letter to the newly appointed External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and congratulated him on assuming office.
Indian PM and FM responded, saying that “India wants a relationship with all the countries of the region along with peace and development in the region”.
“India has always preferred the development and peace of the people and that this effort has also been appreciated by Pakistan,” the letter stated.
Furthermore, the letter states that India is ready to hold discussion with Pakistan and other countries, with a special focus on terrorism in negotiations.
While most of the congratulatory messages from world leaders were promptly responded to by, Pakistan received its response only after a brief meeting between the two prime ministers on the sidelines of SCO Summit held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan last week where the two leaders shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.