Democratic transition in Pak good for cross-border ties: BJP

Hailing the democratic transition in neighbouring Pakistan where Nawaz Sharif appears set to return to power, the BJP today expressed hope that the new government would further strengthen the process of improving ties with India.

"We are very happy that democracy has flourished in Pakistan... Only through democracy can our relations be improved," said party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.

Sharif's PML-N has taken an unassailable lead over its rivals in the landmark general elections and Javadekar said that they would welcome any move by the new government in Pakistan to put Indo-Pak relations on a firmer footing.

"Nawaz Sharif, while remembering the steps taken by (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee to improve Indo-Pak relations, had said he wanted to bring back those moments of 1999," Javadekar told reporters here.

"If he (Sharif) wants to bring back the momentum of 1999, then it is better, because we think that we have to have good relations with (all neighbouring countries), especially with Pakistan... The way Atalji started the process, we will be happy if that is taken forward then," he added.

The BJP spokesperson was speaking at a meeting here to announce a "Jail Bharo" movement in protest against the alleged "loot and plunder" of the country by the Congress-led UPA government".

Trends from 264 of the 272 parliamentary seats that went to the polls in Pakistan showed that the PML-N was set to bag in excess of 125 seats, while Imran Khan's Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Pakistan Peoples Party were lagging far behind with 34 and 32 seats, respectively.