Sushma Swaraj reaches out to new Pakistan counterpart

New Delhi: In what is being seen as an attempt by India to reach out to Pakistan’s new civilian government, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has written a letter to her new Pakistani counterpart Khawaja Muhammad Asif congratulating him on assumption of office, government sources have confirmed. 

The move comes ahead of the 70th anniversary celebrations of Independence of the two nations. 

A new civilian government led by Interim Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi assumed office in Pakistan recently after the ouster of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif following a Supreme Court verdict there in the Panama Papers case. 

Pakistan did not have a regular foreign minister during Nawaz Sharif’s last abruptly-concluded tenure so far as PM though Sartaj Aziz had served as Foreign Policy Advisor to Mr Sharif. 

Ironically, Mr Asif, who is considered a maverick of sorts, was earlier defence minister and had last year threatened to use tactical nuclear weapons against India if Pakistan’s safety was threatened. 

There were also Pakistani media reports recently that Mr Asif been a critic of Pakistan’s powerful military.