Visit to Kabul, Lahore a diplomatic coup: Ex-cabinet secy Naresh Chandra

Leaving the people of India and Pakistan into tizzy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday tweeted that he will be visiting Lahore to meet Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on his 66 birthday. He said frequent meetings between the heads of the two states would have a positive impact on bilateral relations.

Sharif and his brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were among the VIPs who received Modi at the Allama Iqbal International Airport as Modi landed in an Indian Air Force plane.

This is the first state visit by an Indian prime minister in the last ten years.

Every Indian Prime Minister has sought to leave an improvement in ties with Pakistan as their key foreign policy legacy.

In the backdrop of three wars since independence from the British rule in 1947, the two neighbours have confronted each other on contentious issues, including the core Kashmir dispute, to which another dimension has been added – terrorism.

While most of the political groups, including separatists, have hailed Modi’s Lahore visit, Congress attacked Modi for his “unscheduled” visit to Pakistan and alleged it was not for promoting India’s national interest but to promote private business interests.

Questioning the intent behind his visit, the Congress rejected claims of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj that the PM’s move was “statesman-like” and said it was “pre-arranged” by a businessman.

The NCP welcomed the PM’s visit and wished Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. “The India-Pakistan story has many hard issues lingering for decades”.

He noted that hours before Modi’s arrival in Lahore from Afghanistan, he had openly declared Pakistan to be the cause of terrorism and instability in the region. “Backroom diplomacy has been continuing between India and Pakistan since 1977”, said Kalsra.

After weeks of the freeze, India resumed high-level connections having a short discussion at climate change between Modi and Sharif discussions in London part of initiatives to restart a peace conversation affected by militant assaults and long-standing doubt.

Modi, who sprang a surprise by making a sudden stopover in Lahore on his return to New Delhi from Kabul, said he had a spent a warm evening with the Sharif family at their family home.

“The two Prime Ministers agreed to continue and enhance contacts and work together to establish good neighborly relations”, the spokesperson said in another tweet.

Indian steel magnate Sajjan Jindal is also present in Lahore today.

“The Secretary General has always been encouraging both leaders of the two countries to engage in dialogue”.

Modi, who was attired in off white kurta, white pyjama and red waistcoat, extended birthday greetings to Sharif, who wore light blue shalwar kameez and dark blue waistcoat.

Prime Minister Modi also reiterated India’s full support to Afghanistan for strengthening its defensive capabilities for preserving its unity and territorial integrity and ensuring security, and strongly supported Afghan government-led reconciliation process, which respects the red lines drawn by the people of Afghanistan and the global community.

Without referring directly to Pakistan, Modi said that some had seen “sinister designs in our presence” in Afghanistan.

Modi was accorded a red carpet welcome as PM’s special IAF Boeing 737 plane made a smooth touchdown at 4.20 local time(4.50 IST).