New prime minister: Singh congratulates Ashraf

Our two countries will continue to make progress in their bilateral dialogue, says Indian prime minister.

NEW DELHI: India's prime minister has welcomed the appointment of new counterpart in Pakistan and said that he was "confident" of strengthening ties between the two neighbours.

The Pakistani parliament elected Raja Pervaiz Ashraf as the country's new prime minister Friday, seeking to end a political upheaval.

India chose to refrain from commenting on Pakistan's internal crisis, sparked by judges ousting ex-Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani over contempt charges and demanding the arrest of the first candidate to be nominated as his successor.

On Friday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated his Pakistani counterpart.

"Our two countries will continue to make progress in their bilateral dialogue...(and) build good neighbourly relations by strengthening their cooperation in all areas for the benefit of the peoples of both countries," he said.