India on Saturday stated that it would expect the new government in Pakistan to help build a South Asia “free of terror”.
New Delhi, however, refrained from responding to Imran Khan’s proposal for India-Pakistan talks on the issue of Kashmir, even as the party led by cricketer-turned-politician officially emerged as the single largest party in the recent parliamentary elections held in the neighbouring country.
“We welcome that the people of Pakistan have reposed their faith in democracy through general elections,” Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, said. He made the statement after official results of the elections in the neighbouring country showed that Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had emerged as the single largest party with 110 of the 270 contested seats in the National Assembly.
“India desires a prosperous and progressive Pakistan at peace with its neighbours,” the MEA spokesperson added.
New Delhi has been accusing Islamabad of providing safe haven to terrorists in its territory as well as of exporting terror, not only to India but also to other South Asian nations, like Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
“We hope that the new government of Pakistan will work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asia free of terror and violence,” said Kumar. DH
