Pakistan-India engagement positive: US

E-Paper | June 24, 2026

WASHINGTON: Increased engagement between India and Pakistan is a positive step, says the US State Department while welcoming India’s prime minister-elect Narendra Modi’s invitation to the Pakistani premier to attend his inauguration.

“Broadly speaking, we welcome increased engagement between India and Pakistan and their leaders … and India’s engagement with its neighbours leading up to the inauguration,” said State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki when asked to comment on Mr Modi’s gesture.

Asked if the United States would encourage Pakistan leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony, Ms Psaki said: “I don’t think we’re going to get into that level of engagement, but certainly, the invitation has been issued, we support increased dialogue, and this is representative of that.”

The US official added: “We believe increased engagement between India and Pakistan is a positive step, so we’ll see what happens.”

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2014

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

World

Anwar Iqbal is the Washington correspondent for Dawn. During a long journalism career, he has interviewed world leaders and cultural icons, including US Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, poets Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Josh Malihabadi, Bacha Khan, Nobel laureate Abdus Salam, and humanitarian Abdul Sattar Edhi.

Iran, Oman assert ‘sovereignty’ over Hormuz, mull fees

153 states back move to tackle crimes against UN peacekeepers

Russia says US not ‘objective mediator’ in Ukraine war

Sunil

May 23, 2014 10:11am

There increase in engagement between India and Pakistan, but does not yield any results. Because both countries do not trust each other and are suspicious in their moves.

Recommend 0

Jalaluddin S. Hussain

May 23, 2014 10:27am

Irrespective of what the United States (Big Brother) believes, the development of friendship between India and Pakistan is in the mutual interest of both the countries.

Recommend 0

BRR

May 23, 2014 10:27am

Why should Pakistan or India need the endorsement of US ? Grow up people - get about your business without any ones permission or blessings.

Recommend 0

ALOO KEEMA

May 23, 2014 10:55am

Both Pakistan and India need to stand on their own two feet - and others mind their own business! Especially the USA and Russia! LOL

Recommend 0

Azam

May 23, 2014 11:04am

Who cares what Washington thinks? Islamabad and Delhi need to focus on their mutual ties, not on any third party

Recommend 0

rashid zaidi

May 23, 2014 12:16pm

@Sunil That Sunil will remain so unless some bold measures or steps are taken to create that trust. India being the larger country in all aspects should make that good will gesture. Now that there is a government with an absolute majority, actually with no opposition, Mr. Modi could do a lot to be good neighbors, Mr. Sharif has been making those gestures for a while now, he may get a response soon. Yet the advisors and the stake holders will decide that in India, the millions which have been spent on the elections have to be paid back in favors, after all those folks will determine what happens to relations with Pakistan.

Recommend 0

Syed (Australia)

May 23, 2014 01:26pm

It is a shame for India the biggest democratic country to allow US to endorse what they need to do with Pakistan.

Recommend 0

Advisor

May 23, 2014 01:47pm

My advice being a senior diplomat, Whenever USA appreciates India and Pakistan for speaking or fancy word dialogue process should be: Indian and Pakistani diplomats should lower their pants and show their back side to American diplomats and fart loudly like that particular group of people in America do when a cross country train is passing by. After which they should also ask the Americans if it was loud enough.

Recommend 0

ABRAR

May 23, 2014 02:11pm

We are neighbors and brothers. Why do we need interference from a country thousands of miles away ? Let us decide our on future.

Recommend 0

Karim Mombani

May 23, 2014 03:00pm

What ever you say.... And no matter how much dialogue you do...... the two sides were brought apart because of their different ideologies. And once a magnet is broken into two pieces they won't join back again........ this is the law of nature........and physics offcourse ...

Recommend 0

Zak

May 23, 2014 04:43pm

Indian occupied Kashmir is the core issue to be resolved and US and UN should assist to resolve it. Must see youtube- ' Kashmir's torture trail' nominated for International Sony documentary award.

Recommend 0

Eddied

May 23, 2014 06:01pm

A third party, the USA, simply recommends that two friends who have disagreements, work together to become better neighbors....nothing more going on here....but it is interesting how it brings out the hate of commentators for even suggesting that relations should be improved....

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Alif Holdings hosts Real Estate CEOs Conference with Bilal Yaseen live podcast by Mansoor Ali Khan

Topics expected to be discussed include housing policy, urban development, investment confidence, infrastructure planning and the future outlook of Pakistan’s real estate industry.