Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif congratulates PM Modi a week after Lok Sabha election results

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on June 10 congratulated Narendra Modi on his re-election in India, almost a week after the Lok Sabha results came in. 

Taking to social media platform X, he wrote, “My warm felicitations to Modi Ji (@narendramodi) on assuming office for the third time.” 

“Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership. Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia,” his post added. 

Modi, along with several other world leaders, had congratulated Sharif when he was sworn in as Pakistan’s prime minister in March. “Congratulations to @CMShehbaz on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” Modi had posted on X. 

Nawaz Sharif’s brother and current Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif also congratulated Modi for forming a central government for the record third time. On X, PM Sharif said, “Felicitations to Narendra Modi on taking oath as the Prime Minister of India.” 

Nawaz Sharif had attended Modi’s first oath taking ceremony in 2014. 

Last week, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had said in an official statement that it would be “premature” for the country to congratulate PM Modi. 

Notably, PM Shehbaz Sharif was not invited to Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. The ceremony saw neighbouring leaders like Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ of Nepal and President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka. 

Narendra Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister on June 9 in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, which was attended by heads of state of Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and other dignitaries.