New Delhi:
Days after Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan endorsed another term for Narendra Modi, outgoing Pakistani high commissioner Sohail Mehmood on Sunday said that Islamabad was hopeful of re-engagement with New Delhi as soon as the new government takes charge after the Lok Sabha elections. Before leaving to Islamabad, outgoing Pakistani high commissioner Sohail Mehmood said that talks between India and Pakistan will help maintain peace and security in the south Asian region.
"We hope for re-engagement with New Delhi after elections in India. Engagement between Pakistan and India will help in building an edifice of durable peace and security in the region," The Times of India quoted Mehbood as saying.
After Pulwama attack and Balakot air strike, Pakistan has become, probably for the first time, a major issue with the prime minister and his party BJP inserting it in the rehtoric of election campaign. Modi, in all his ralliles has been targeting the Opposition parties of speaking the language of Pakistan and said that Islamabad wanted to see him losing the elections. However, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent remarks that he would rather like the BJP - a right wing party - to win the elections, had turned things a little messy for the BJP.
Following Imran Khan's remarks, the Opposition parties some ammo to respond the BJP in its own language. They questioned the "secret understanding" of PM Modi with his Pakistani counterpart. Some Opposition leaders even alleged that Pulwama attack was a conspiracy by Modi to win the elections.
Opposition parties said that from being on the brink of war with India, what happened suddenly that Pakistani prime minister endorsed another term for Narendra Modi. With Pakistan claiming resumption of talks as soon as the new prime minister takes charge in India, more questions are likely to be raised by the Opposition as New Delhi's "terror and talks can't go together" stand remains effective.
