New Delhi: Pakistan's newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday thanked PM Narendra Modi for felicitating him on his election.

 

"Thank you @narendramodi for felicitations on my election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan," Sharif tweeted while replying to Modi's congratulatory message.



Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister on Monday, assuming the cash-strapped country's reins for a second time, nearly a month after an inconclusive election marred by allegations of vote rigging.

 

Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday congratulated Sharif on taking oath as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.

 

“Congratulations to @CMShehbaz on being sworn in as the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” Modi posted on X on Tuesday.




Shehbaz is the younger brother of three-time premier Nawaz Sharif.


In his victory speech in the National Assembly, Sharif said his government would not allow the country to become part of some "great game" and would maintain cordial relations with neighbours based on the principles of equality, reported PTI.


"We will keep ties with neighbours on the basis of equality,” he said.














However, Sharif raised the Kashmir issue and drew parallels with Palestine.


The relationship between India and Pakistan was strained after a terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in 2016 by terror groups based in the neighbouring country.














Ties worsened after India conducted airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp inside Pakistan in February 2019, following the Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans.


Relations further deteriorated when India revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special powers and divided the state into two union territories in August 2019.