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

Islamabad, June 18: 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".