"I hope we can continue to have good relations [with Pakistan] if he comes to power," Indian FM said. PHOTO: FILE
"India welcomes whatever result that comes out of a democratic election," Khurshid told television channels as results began to come in.
"Our government has had relations with Nawaz Sharif. Congratulations will also be offered from Prime Minister's (if he wins)."
"I hope we can continue to have good relations [with Pakistan] if he comes to power," he said.
It may be recalled that it was during Nawaz Sharif’s government that Kargil incursions by Pakistan took place, ultimately leading to a US-brokered settlement.
Sharif always claimed that he had no hand in the salami-slicing operations which were a brainchild of the Pakistan Army, but India has an open mind on this issue.
It was Sharif and then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who jointly began the process of normalisation of India-Pakistan relations.
Now, as Pakistan has had elections and India goes for general elections next year, a lot depends on the kind of regime India will get and what its attitude towards Pakistan would be.
Both the Bharatiya Janata Party, currently in opposition, and the Congress would like to have peaceful relationship with Pakistan, though events like the Mumbai attacks have derailed an upward trajectory of relationship.
An official Indian reaction will come only after all the results have been declared and it is clear who the next Prime Minister of Pakistan will be.
All eyes in India are on what kind of stance a new Prime Minister will take about India-Pakistan relations.
COMMENTS (16)
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Let us see how PP designate Sharif will handle domestic problems first and then the rest. He has too much on his plate they say. Patience my friends! Few years of life in jail and outside the country must have made him wiser. So let us see.
@kaalchakra: "the Brahmins who rule over India" I think Gp 65 has already cleared your delusion. Would just like to update you that same scenario exists in all over India and in all states and most of them are rules by leaders of masses who belong mostly from oppressed classes!! Do you want examples ??? As far as Rule by Indian Army is concerned- so me a single year from history of independent India where our army has ruled us???? They very well understand their roles (as defined in our constitution) and act as responsible forces that abide by the law of the land.........
Indians thanks for inviting Nawaz Sharif to India and definitely now Pakistan-India relations must be normalized,improved and strengthened on permanent bases/grounds by resolving all the burning,core and long-awaited issues between Pakistan-India and we have to live like the good,helpful,honest,sincere and positive neighbors but please never forget it that now this time Nawaz Sharif even would never like to think about/for withdrawing Pakistan army's troops from LoC the doing and practicability are impossible and so so so far as Nawaz Sharif has done in the past by withdrawing Pakistan army's troops from Kargil......
It is best to remember that a Leopard cannot change its spots or in this case a Tiger cannot change its stripes. Let it not be forgotten that Mr. Nawaz Shariff was a protégé of a Military Dictator Gen. Zia Ul Haq and was Prime Minister when the Kargil incident took place against the backdrop of a peace initiative.
who cares????
@kaalchakra: Brahmins who rule over India? Our PM is not even a Hindu. The number 2 post in the cabinet is held by our defense minister who is a Christian. The Humber 3 post is held by our finance minister who is an atheist. Our CJ of supreme court is Muslim. Who exactly did you have in mind?
@Hatemongerbasher: @Water Bottle is a patriotic Indian based on many of his posts I have read. He seems to be advocating this strategy based on reverse psychology for India based on how he interprets Pakistan psyche. One can differ from him (and I do on several of his iewpoints) but to question his Indianness seems wrong.
There has been a seismic change in Nawaz Sharief's attitude towards India. Credit for that should go, first and foremost, to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then to the perverse attitude of Mush, the commando. Also, the public opinion in Pakistan vis-a-vis India is not as hostile today as it was during his last term in office although it cannot be said to be benign either. A big hole has also appeared in army's fearmongering with respect to India. All in all, his election bodes well for India.
Pakistan is lucky to have some one of the calibre of Nawaz Sharif to be the PM.
Beware Pakistan. Indian army and the Brahmins who rule over India want to take over Pakistan and enslave all Muslims. You cannot drop your guards. Nawaz should reject India's invitation. If he goes there at all, his team should be ready to quit at a moment's notice before Indian hawks trap Pakistan as they have been scheming and plotting nonstop since 1947.
@ Waterbottle
Quoting from Robert Frost's Mending Wall
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The only thing we ( Average Indian/ Aam Aadmi) wants from Pakistan is it does not implode and threaten our security and economy. We don't want to cut off your water or invade your country, we don't want your trade either. If we could build a huge wall that would be awesome. Weather Nawaz wins or Imran, we don't give a damn...as long as you keep your business on your side of the wall we are happy !
@Water Bottle, typical delusional indian.
@Water Bottle: Nawaz will lead a Civilian Government. That alone is good for us. If he is able to wrest the control of Pakistan's foreign policy from the hand of Army Generals towards the Civilians, so much the better. Civilians usually have a vested interest in promoting peace to ensure that political power remain in their hands and not the Army Generals .
As for popular belief, We need not really care about what the ordinary Indians and Pakistans think or believe right now. Their beliefs can be easily moulded if both States reach a common ground. State Propaganda is a very powerful tool in modern World. To quote Churchill, There is no such thing as Public Opinion, but only Published opinion.