New Delhi, May 28 (IBNS): India will not be inviting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi who will take oath as the Prime Minister on Thursday, media reports said.
After winning the 2014 General Elections, all South Asian Association Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations including Pakistan were invited to Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had also attended the ceremony.
Reacting to the development, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a news channel as quoted by Dawn News, "His entire focus was on Pakistan-bashing. It was unwise to expect that he can get rid of this narrative."
He also said India's "internal politics" prevented it from extending an invitation to the Pakistan Prime Minister.
Following Modi's landslide victory in the General Elections on May 23, Khan had wished his Indian counterpart saying, "I congratulate Prime Minister Modi on the electoral victory of BJP and allies."
"Look forward to working with him for peace, progress and prosperity in South Asia," he added.
The relationship between the nuclear-armed neighbours over the last several months has not been good, to put it mildly.
India blamed Pakistan for sheltering terrorists who masterminded the February 14 attack in Pulwama that left 40 Indian soldiers dead. A few days later, the Indian Air Force retaliated by bombing a terrorist facility at Balakot on the other side of the Line of Control. Pakistani and Indian fighter jets engaged in a dogfight a few days later that led to the capture of IAF wing commander Abhimanyu Varthaman. Pakistan, however, released the pilot after two days.
A major part of the BJP's campaign revolved around Modi's "tough stance" in respect to Pakistan.
In a statement on Monday, the Indian government said all Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) member nations which include Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony.
Image Credit: twitter.com/pid_gov
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