ADDS AFGHANISTAN’S REACTION; CHANGES, LEDE, DECK
BY Aamir Latif and Ahmad Adil
KARACHI/NEW DELHI (AA) – India and Pakistan congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday for winning the US presidential election.
"Heartiest congratulations my friend @realDonaldTrump on your historic election victory," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his congratulatory message on X. "As you build on the successes of your previous term, I look forward to renewing our collaboration to further strengthen the India-US comprehensive global and strategic partnership."
He added: "Together, let’s work for the betterment of our people and to promote global peace, stability and prosperity."
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged a "further" strengthening of the US-Pakistan partnership.
"Congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump on his historic victory for a second term! I look forward to working closely with the incoming Administration to further strengthen and broaden the Pakistan-U.S. partnership," Sharif wrote on X.
Afghanistan expressed hope that there would be concrete progress in relations between the two countries and that both countries would be able to open a new chapter of relations in light of mutual interaction.
"It is expected that Mr. Trump will play a constructive role in ending the current war in the region and the world, especially in Gaza and Lebanon."
Noting the 2020 Doha peace deal signed during the previous Trump administration, which ended the 20-year-long "occupation" of Afghanistan, Balkhi said Kabul hopes the future administration in Washington will take "realistic" steps in the light of a "balanced" foreign policy so that there could be a "solid" development, vis-a-vis relations, between the two countries.