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Pakistan's newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed gratitude to his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, for congratulating him on his re-election. 

Sharif, 72, assumed office for the second time on Monday, following a closely contested election marked by allegations of vote rigging.

In a post on X, Sharif thanked Modi for the felicitations, reciprocating Modi's earlier congratulatory message. Modi had extended his wishes to Shehbaz upon his swearing-in as the 24th Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Thank you @narendramodi for felicitations on my election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan 🇵🇰

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 7, 2024

In his victory speech in the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif emphasised his government's commitment to maintaining cordial relations with neighboring countries based on principles of equality. 

He pledged to engage with neighbors on an equal footing, while also addressing longstanding issues such as the Kashmir conflict, drawing parallels with the situation in Palestine.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have persisted, particularly following incidents of cross-border terrorism. 

Relations between the two nations deteriorated significantly after a terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in 2016, followed by India's airstrike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Pakistan in 2019.

The situation escalated further after India's decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its subsequent reorganization in 2019.

Despite repeated assertions by India that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country, tensions persist, with India emphasizing the need for a conducive environment free from terrorism for normalizing relations with Pakistan.