India denies Modi called for dialogue in ‘congratulatory letter’ to Imran

NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: Contradicting earlier claims of Pakistan’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, India said their Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote a ‘congratulatory letter’ to Mr. Imran Khan but it doesn’t mention a call for ‘dialogue’.

According to India Today and other Indian websites quoting ‘credible government sources’ that Mr. Modi didn’t express his wish for dialogues in letter to Pakistan PM, but it did mention ‘India is committed to peaceful ties.’

The Indian media reports stressed that PM Modi didn’t push for a dialogue between the two countries.

According to TimesNow News Modi’s letter states, “Polls and the smooth transition strengthen belief in democracy.” It adds that Modi said shared belief will bring peace and prosperity in the subcontinent and make it free from terrorism and violence.”

It further quotes PM Modi as saying “we have a commitment to build good neighbourly relations” and “pursue meaningful and constructive engagement for the benefit of people in the region.”

“The contents of the letter are what is usually written in a congratulatory letter. This is in contradiction to the claims made by the Pakistan Foreign Minister,” the report added.

Earlier, Qureshi said there was a need for continued and uninterrupted talks with India. “We are neighbours. We have long-standing issues, both of us know these problems. But we have no other option but to engage in dialogue. We cannot afford adventurism.”

“These issues are complicated and we may face hurdles in resolving them, but we must engage. We will have to admit that we are facing problems, we must admit that Kashmir is a reality,” he added.