Modi's phone call reduced India, Pakistan tension: Daily

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's phone call to his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif has helped reduce tension between the two countries, a daily said on Thursday.

Daily Times, in an editorial "Modi's overture", said that Modi's call has "helped reduce the rising temperature in India-Pakistan relations due to aggressive rhetoric by both sides".

"It was a positive overture by the Indian prime minister to ease ongoing tensions that ensued after the exchange of barbs between both sides during the past few days. During the five-minute call on Tuesday, both leaders agreed to stop issuing controversial statements."

The daily said that in the wake of the Indian army's raid on the camps of northeast Indian militants in Myanmar, "a junior Indian minister suggested that the Myanmar incident could set a precedent for other cross-border raids, including Pakistan-controlled Kashmir". 

While the Indian premier's comments that he had played a part in the break-up of Pakistan in 1971 fired up defence functionaries in Pakistan, "the reaction by top government officials was uncalled for and lacked wisdom".

The editorial said there should have been a "more cool and sophisticated approach". 

"There was no need to fly into a rage at the slightest provocation. More sense should have been applied while responding to the utterances of the Indian leadership. In the backdrop of these verbal tussles, PM Nawaz acted prudently and never retaliated with a harsh tone. Rather he urged the Indian side to give peace a chance and not spoil the peace process," it said.

Describing as positive, Modi's initiative to contact the Pakistan PM, the daily said: "It is high time that both the rival states should not be distracted by peace spoilers and all contentious issues should be resolved through a meaningful dialogue process." 

"Peace is the only option and way forward. Only a more positive approach to the relationship can give good results for both the neighbouring countries as well as for regional peace. There is no way out as both India and Pakistan are nuclear states and they cannot afford any warfare that would result in complete destruction," the daily said and called for "an end to provocative statements and irrational reactions".