Pakistan cautions media on exchange of congratulatory messages between PM Modi, Imran Khan

Pakistan on Thursday called for resolving all outstanding differences with India, including the Kashmir issue, and moving away from the dynamic of confrontation to cooperation as it cautioned the media against speculation over the exchange of congratulatory messages between the leadership of the two countries.

In a statement, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman also said that it was an established diplomatic practice for the top leadership to congratulate new office holders and for them to respond. "Pakistan's position on the way forward in Pakistan-India relations was clear and well-known and did not require repetition," he said.

"The vision of peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia could be advanced by peacefully resolving all outstanding disputes, including Jammu and Kashmir, and moving away from the dynamic of confrontation to cooperation," he added.

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Earlier on Thursday, Pakistani media reports claimed New Delhi is ready for talks with Islamabad. They claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded to Islamabad's renewed call for dialogue by conveying New Delhi's desire to engage with all countries, including Pakistan, for the prosperity of the region.

India rejected the media reports, saying Prime Minister Modi and External Affairs Minister Jaishankar made no such reference in their response to congratulatory messages from their counterparts in that country.

Prime Minister Khan made a telephone call to Modi on May 26 and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries. On his part, Modi said creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism was essential for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

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The two leaders also exchanged pleasantries last week during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. However, there was no meeting between the two leaders.