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NEW DELHI: Pakistan said on Wednesday it was “encouraged” by comments from India’s election frontrunner Narendra Modi who stressed cooperation with foreign governments if he was elected prime minister.
Critics fear that if elected Mr Modi will adopt a tough foreign policy that could see relations deteriorate with Pakistan and China.
But Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit said he welcomed Mr Modi’s comments in a television interview that he would pursue the policies followed by former BJP premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“I was very much encouraged. They were very positive. It gives us hope that if he is elected as prime minister we should expect more positive things,” Mr Basit told journalists in New Delhi.
Mr Vajpayee sought several times during his tenure to make permanent peace with Pakistan.
New Delhi broke off peace talks with Islamabad after the 2008 Mumbai attacks in which 166 people were killed by Pakistani gunmen.
Making a strong pitch for a resumption of the talks, Mr Basit said dialogue was the only way to resolve outstanding issues such as Kashmir.
Mr Basit said the Pakistani government wished to change the “narrative between the two countries into one of cooperation and trust.
The envoy also said that his government was “keenly looking forward to a government with which Pakistan (can engage) quickly, comprehensively and meaningfully... and move from conflicting relations”.
He added that “terrorism is a common enemy of both countries” and that those who believed Pakistan harboured terrorists “misunderstood the country”.
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On DawnNews
Comments (27) Closed
Apr 24, 2014 09:02am
Why is Pakistan so keen to befriend Modi? Keep your diplomatic dignity intact. Wait and see what kind of olive branch Modi offers to Pakistan after the present election hype is over.
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Apr 24, 2014 09:36am
The NRO corrupt governments are an embarrassment to the Pakistani people.
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Apr 24, 2014 09:39am
Wonder when Pakistani govt. will ever learn to live and present Pakistan a country with integrity. These a comments are just election campaign punclines. Indian never even bother to reply to any such comments from Pakistan....and Pakistan is ready to become a red carpet for India only for few words....what a pity....
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Apr 24, 2014 10:42am
Modi did not name Pakistan, therefore it is premature on the part of High Commissioner to make this statement. Nawaz Sharif better send a smart or competent man to Delhi.
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Apr 24, 2014 11:02am
Which part is diplomatic? Neither the person nor his remarks.
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Apr 24, 2014 11:06am
Nothing to be happy Basit... He has said foreign govts ... he never particularly mentioned Pakistan...he has a special liking for Pakistan we all know!!!!
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Apr 24, 2014 11:21am
@event horizon Isn't it his job as an ambassador to do it? I mean an ambassador needs to keep talking about eventual cooperation and reconciliation even if his country is preparing to go to war. It's his job to do it. Diplomats have to be diplomatic.
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Apr 24, 2014 12:19pm
I wondered; Why the Govt. of Pakistan has been seeking the expectation from the future-elected Modi's govt. though It is the concern of both Countries. Pakistan is a closed-neighbor with India the fact can not be avoided. Once Modi was asked that if he were PM during the Mumbai attacks of 2008 what would he do? "I would do same with Pakistan that did in Gujrat with Muslims", he responded. Modi could be proved to be the bitting-dog to Pakistan. Thereby, Pakistan has to set less expectation from him.
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Apr 24, 2014 12:56pm
"Critics fear that if elected Mr Modi will adopt a tough foreign policy that could see relations deteriorate with Pakistan and China."
Why fear...let him shoot himself in the foot, again. At least his mask is off: The Monster of Gujarat was defrocked in 2002. Let the Hindu decide if he wants us to shoot him in the other foot...and higher up the anatomy.
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Apr 24, 2014 03:41pm
One thing for sure, modi will not be weak like manmohan
Nawaz sharif will not be able to call modi an old village woman, like they way he called manmohan
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Apr 24, 2014 04:45pm
@Mohan
No. Modi is a nobody at this stage. What an ambassador does is to quietly plan for different election outcomes. No need to send official messages saying 'we hope you forgive us' to a nobody. I don't even expect you to understand but since you have asked a question, so I am trying to give my thoughts on it. After all, it is Modi's track record that he brings in wealth when he rules. However attractive that may be to you, we in Pakistan unfortunately look at the threat Modi offers to Pakistan and the kind of treatment Indian Muslims are likely to receive when Modi becomes PM from CM.
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Apr 24, 2014 05:27pm
I don't knw WHY Pakistani authorities are giving this 'perturbed' image should Modi become India's PM??
Nothing 'they' can do what we cannot do ourselves! Give/take like for like!
However we should improve our own lot, before we look over the fence at the neighbors!
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Apr 24, 2014 05:46pm
@Aneel Kumar Bachwani
Did Mr. Modi made that statement in your dream?
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Apr 24, 2014 05:51pm
@El Cid be civilised. No knee jerk reactions. Ok?
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Apr 24, 2014 06:14pm
In 2002, the burning of a train in Godhra on 27 February 2002 by local Muslims, caused the deaths of 58 Hindu activists returning from Ayodhya, triggered the violence in the entire state. The riots resulted in the deaths of 790 Muslims and 254 Hindus. As of April 2013, 249 convictions had been secured, 184 Hindus and 65 Muslims. 31 of the Muslim convictions were for the Train incident in Godhra. Moreover, the Gujarat court gave a clean chit given to Narendra Modi in the 2002 communal violence in the state. There was not a single riot in the state after 2002 though there were terrorists attack (mainly supported by ISI) in Akshardham Temple and Ahmedabad blasts in 2008. At the same time Gujarat become the Guangdong of India at the development front. From 2002 to 2014, 51,759 people were killed in Pakistan as per wiki updates. Moreover, killing, forceful conversion and rape is not an offense in Pakistan.
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Apr 24, 2014 06:15pm
@Aneel Kumar Bachwani: He never said such things..Are you getting visions ? It was some other politician who was asked and he said, he will reply with 10 such 26/11 in pakistan for every one they commit
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Apr 24, 2014 07:05pm
@Vijaysalem
Guys, guys no knee jerk reactions please. Even if Modi kills another 2000 Muslims or attacks Pakistan, do keep quiet. Please never react or Shree Aditya Vijaysalem Raj Kumar Deshmukh will stop you from reacting.
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Apr 24, 2014 11:50pm
@Aneel Kumar Bachwani : "Modi could be proved to be the bitting-dog to Pakistan"
Pakistan is NOT Gujarat. Pakistan carries a Big Stick. Pakistan knows how to deal with a Mad Dog.
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Apr 25, 2014 12:57am
@Aneel Kumar Bachwani you think Manmohan Singh did not try. Talking is one thing doing is another. Indian military chiefs said they could go for surgical strike into Pakistan, but warned best case scenarios 40% won't come back , worst case 80%. That is when idea was dropped. War is not Hollywood movie version, it is path of total destruction. By the way, Muslims of Gujarat were unarmed civilians surrounded by Hindus. In Pakistan, the worlds 6th largest professional army and worlds best Air Force stand.
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Apr 25, 2014 04:30am
@Zak World's best and professional... what??? Don't cook-up things! Funny!!
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Apr 25, 2014 10:52am
@Indian, Delhi to start with your concocted misinformation that you Indians like to believe living in a bubble. Ghadar's train was a Hindu pilgrim lighting a cooking canister on the wooden floors of the train. 58 pilgrim Hindus due to their own illiterate behavior. But 6,000 innocent Muslims died who had nothing to do with the train. Modi was the mastermind. 13 Hindus died, no Hindu convictions some convictions mostly Muslims. Muslims still living in tents in grave yard, while Hindus have taken their properties. Condition for these Muslims to return, convert to Hinduism, this is forced conversion. The government encourages it. But funnily enough, more Hindus are converting to Islam.
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Apr 25, 2014 01:19pm
Mr Basit, he is saying to get votes only. Pakistan foreign office, always adrift from realities on the ground. Has the foreign office proposed a state foreign policy when a murderer of Muslims is voted in the neighboring country.just by the statement, I guess not!
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Apr 25, 2014 01:42pm
Very pleasing to see this reaction and interview by Modi. From what I see he is a common sense man who is for progress. Despite all the reports about him - which is fabricated by media - he will be a pragmatist. There is really no hope for Pakistan to continue what we are doing now - with high military spending and zero development funding; the country is essentially bankrupt and held together by some benevolent loans from US and other countries. Time to swallow the pride and admit it is failed state in just about all aspects & work to rebuild it.
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Apr 25, 2014 03:24pm
Day dreaming. Co-operation with foreign governments excluding Pakistan is between the lines. What has made the Pakistani official think that Modi will co-operate with Pakistan. If Modi is elected to power he will have no option but to play within the boundaries set by his Hindutva supporters. Pakistani officials should henceforth stop thinking about co-operation coming from India. Indian government has ruled out a simple cricket relationship with Pakistan & our officials are dreaming of good relationship offer coming from India, LOL (very loud)
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Apr 25, 2014 06:28pm
@El Cid Living in a fool's paradise is your prerogative. If after loosing all wars and more than half the country you still maintain your shrill arrogance, you are indeed an optimist who would slap his own face to keep the cheeks red! Good luck!
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Apr 25, 2014 07:30pm
Just WTF? Why is this Basit even mentioning the bogus charges falsely implicating Pakistan in the Mumbai attacks?? And why is dawn.com printing Basit's irresponsible statement? Pakistanis are fed up with Indians continuous and insidious lies re the Mumbai attacks implicating Pakistan or any Pakistani in these acts. In the case of Mumbai, 2+5=4 since the numbers and evidence never added up during the initial Mumbai investigation or sensationalist mockery of a trial.
Please print my comment which need to balance the many Indians here writing ludicrous Pak bashing miasma all over this page.
What was the actual proof and evidence that anyone from Pakistan was ever involved in the Mumbai attacks? The so called "trial" of this "Kasab" was a joke and a sham drama. Who gained the most from these attacks and who was this "Kasab" exactly? He wasn't a Pakistani which was clear from the smuggled Mumbai police interview of him when he spoke in Mumbai accented Hindi - not Urdu or Punjabi, completely bizarre lies the Indian media propagated that "Kasab" was from some Punjabi town in Pakistan. His Hindi accent had no trace of a Punjabi accent whatsoever! This investigation was manipulated from the start, it wasn't rocket science to go after the real terrorists and the actual evidence. Yet this was never done, WHY?
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Apr 26, 2014 08:59pm
@idiocy is thy name:"you are indeed an optimist who would slap his own face to keep the cheeks red!"
Wrong on both counts.
I am a realist and a pragmatist.
And was born with rugged red cheeks...plus the ability to slap wannabe aggressors silly.
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