India hopes Imran Khan will ensure terror-free Asia

​New Delhi: In its first reaction on general elections in Pakistan, India on Saturday hoped the new government in Islamabad will work constructively to build a safe, stable and secure South Asia "free of terror" and "violence". 

Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar said India desires a "prosperous and progressive Pakistan at peace with its neighbours". He said India welcomed that the people of Pakistan have reposed their faith in democracy through general elections. "We hope that the new government of Pakistan will work constructively to build a safe, stable, secure and developed South Asia free of terror and violence," Kumar said.

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan is likely to become Pakistan's next prime minister as his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has emerged as the single largest party in the elections held on July 25, winning 116 of the 270 seats.

Jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 64 seats and former president Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) with 43 seats are placed at number two and three respectively. 

As election results indicated that his party was on course to wrest power, Khan on Thursday said Pakistan was ready to improve its ties with India and his government would like the leaders of the two sides to resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir, through talks.