‘Let’s replace hate with hope’, Nawaz congratulates Narendra Modi

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif has congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on assuming the office of premiership for the third time.

On Monday, Nawaz Sharif expressed his congratulations on his X account, saying, “My warmest congratulations to Modi ji for being appointed as the prime minister for the third time.”

Addressing prime minister Narendra Modi, he added, “The success of your party in the recent election is a manifestation of the people’s trust in your leadership.”

Nawaz Sharif further remarked, “Let us replace hatred with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of two billion people of South Asia.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also congratulated Narendra Modi on being elected prime minister.

Shehbaz Sharif wrote in a brief tweet on the social media platform X, “Felicitation to Narendra Modi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India.”

It should be noted that the relations between the two countries are strained but despite this, the heads of the two countries congratulated each other.

After the February 8 elections in Pakistan, Narendra Modi also congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on being elected as prime minister for the second time.

Narendra Modi invited foreign dignitaries, including heads of neighbouring countries, to the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday. However, it is not clear whether Pakistan’s prime minister was invited. The countries invited included Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, and the African country of Seychelles.

New Delhi had stated that these leaders were invited under India’s ‘neighbourhood first policy.’