Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his letter to Shehbaz Sharif had congratulated the PML-N chief on becoming the prime minister of Pakistan and conveyed to him that India desired constructive ties with Pakistan.

Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pitching for a meaningful engagement between two countries, news agency PTI reported.

Sharif's letter came in response to a letter sent by PM Modi who congratulated the latter on becoming the 23rd prime minister of the neighbouring country, and had also conveyed to him that India desired constructive ties with Pakistan.

According to the agency, Sharif in his letter also called for the resolution of issues including Jammu and Kashmir. Sharif said that Islamabad was in favour of peaceful and cooperative ties with India.

In his congratulatory message to Shehbaz Sharif on the day he took oath as the prime minister, PM Modi said India wanted peace and stability in a region free of terror.

“Congratulations to H. E. Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on his election as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. India desires peace and stability in a region free of terror so that we can focus on our development challenges and ensure the well-being and prosperity of our people," PM Modi had tweeted.

Sharif thanked PM Modi for his congratulatory wishes, while raising the Kashmir issue in his tweet. “Thank you Premier Narendra Modi for felicitations. Pakistan desires peaceful & cooperative ties with India. Peaceful settlement of outstanding disputes including Jammu & Kashmir is indispensable,” he had tweeted.

The relations between India and Pakistan have been strained ever since the Indian Air Force jets carried out an airstrike on Pakistan terror launchpads in Balakot in Pakistan in 2019, in retaliation against the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives.

The ties further deteriorated when the Narendra Modi government abrogated Article 370 on August 5, 2019, scrapping the special status to Jammu and Kashmir.