Imran Khan writes to PM Modi, offers dialogue

Weeks after Narendra Modi assumed prime ministership for the second time, his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on Friday wrote a letter offering dialogue to reconcilable problems.

In a letter to PM Modi congratulating him on his second term as the Prime Minister, Khan wrote that Pakistan desires the resolution of all problems, including that of the disputed Kashmir region, the Geo TV reported.

He asserted that talks between the two nations were the only solution to help both countries' people overcome poverty and that it was important to work together for regional development.

Pakistan, Khan wrote, wished for peace in the South Asian region and that, alongside stability, were required for the states as well as the region to move forward, the report said.

Earlier on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had informed that no meeting was planned between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Imran Khan ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek.

Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood was on a quiet private visit to India ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit giving rise to the speculations that PM Modi could interact with PM Khan on the margins of the SCO Summit. Mahmood, who was Pakistan High Commissioner to India before his elevation in April, had offered Eid prayers at the historic Jama Masjid in the national capital on Wednesday morning. He was accompanied by Pakistan's acting High Commissioner to India Syed Haidar Shah.

Raveesh said that it was a personal visit and there was no meeting scheduled with him.

Last month, Imran Khan had spoken to PM Modi over telephone and congratulated the latter on his victory in the Lok Sabha elections 2019.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that PM Modi thanked Khan and, at the same time, reiterated his suggestion of jointly fighting poverty in the two countries.

Khan had on 23 May, breaking the ice in bilateral ties, congratulated PM Modi on Twitter after the BJP-led NDA alliance returned to power by winning 353 seats of the 542 where Lok Sabha elections were held.

However, the Indian government had left out Pakistan while inviting leaders from BIMSTEC countries to Prime Minister Modi's oath-taking ceremony.

Pakistan tried to downplay India's decision not to invite Imran claiming that the Indian Prime Minister's "internal politics" does not permit him to extend an invitation to his Pakistani counterpart.

In 2014, then Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif had attended Prime Minister Modi's swearing-in held on May 26 in New Delhi when the leaders of SAARC countries were invited.

Relations between Pakistan and India hit a nadir in the last five years with at least three major terror attacks on Indian military establishment and personnel of armed forces since 2016.

Copyright: The Statesman/ Asia News Network