Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif dons pink turban gifted by Narendra Modi

The visit, announced by Modi on Twitter, gave the appearance of being spontaneous, with Sharif’s foreign affairs adviser not able to reach Lahore in time.

Quoting “Atithi Devo Bhava” idiom (guest is like God), the prime minister said cleanliness at tourist spots must be like decorating own house before the arrival of the guest. The Pakistani premier, flanked by cabinet ministers, received Modi on the tarmac where military officers lined up along a red carpet.

Since he took over as PM, Modi has had plans to push Saarc to the level of European Union and Asean. Pakistan promised foolproof security at the Lahore airport and assured a Pak Air Force Chopper would fly both PMs to Raiwind and back.

Modi, who had made the announcement about the campaign in his last Independence Day address, said the programme will be created to suit Indian conditions and focus would be on ensuring benefits for the youth from the lowest strata of the society.

“It is a positive step that he came … definitely … but we still have to move with caution”, he said.

They spoke in Hindi on “insulating talks” from setbacks and on the just-resumed dialogue process that will see a meeting of their foreign secretaries on Jan 15 in Islamabad.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said: “Pakistan and India are important countries in South Asia”.

He said major political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, had consensus on peace and enhanced people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

Pakistan’s recent appointment of a former army general, Naseer Khan Janjua, as its national security adviser, has also opened a fresh window for early negotiations on terrorism and cross-border violence.

Modi paid visit to Lahore for about two hours on his way from Kabul which made headlines across the world. “This communication will help improve relations in India at least so that women and minorities are protected”, said Congress spokesperson Tom Vaddakan.

As part of the Skill India and Digital India initiative, the prime minister said a package of incentives will be given to manufacturing units for generating jobs.

According to reports, during the conversation, PM Modi apparently told Sharif “jung bahut karli”.

Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry later told a news conference that it was a “purely goodwill visit”.

Pakistan rejects the accusation but it has struggled to turn around perceptions in Afghanistan, where social media users sent out a stream of glowing commentary on Modi’s visit, contrasting the parliament building with the destruction wrought by Taliban suicide bombers. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, meanwhile, tweeted: “Neighbors’ relations should be like this”.