ISLAMABAD, July 25: President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday congratulated his new Indian counterpart, Mrs Pratibha Patil, on her election to the top office and expressed the hope that under her leadership relations between the two countries would strengthen.

In a message of felicitation addressed to the newly-elected Indian president, he said: “It gives me great pleasure to extend to you warm felicitations on your election to the high office of the President of the Republic of India. I sincerely hope that your assumption of this august office would contribute to enhancement of mutual trust and confidence between our two countries.”

The message which was released here by the Foreign Office, ended on a more upbeat note with President Musharraf declaring: “I am convinced that in the coming years our bilateral relations will continue to gain in strength in the interest of peace, progress and prosperity of our peoples.”

The 72-year-old Pratibha Patil, who took oath on Wednesday, is India’s 13th president and its first woman in the post.—Q.A.