Petition filed in Pakistani court against Modi’s visit

Photos of the Indian prime minister holding hands in Lahore with his counterpart Nawaz Sharif offered glimmers of hope in the much-troubled relationship between India and Pakistan.

“The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee undertook bus journey to Lahore but the Kargil war too was fought during his tenure”.

The attack on the IAF base in Pathankot by Pakistani terrorists has thrown the first major challenge to the Modi government’s policy of engagement and resumption of the “comprehensive bilateral dialogue” with Pakistan and could put New Delhi in a bind on how to deal with its troublesome western neighbour.

The newspaper said Modi undertook the Lahore stopover after having finally decided that better relations with Pakistan were not only necessary, but required his personal involvement, noting that, “So far he has not delivered on that promise (of making India an economic power), spurring protests by middle-class Indians demanding more good jobs”.

Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of a crucial road link in Balochistan, Mr Sharif said: “Goodwill gestures are the solution to many an ill”.

Narendra Modi’s surprise Christmas Day visit to Pakistan stunned the world.

The National Security Adviser of India is capable of dealing with the issue of terrorism.

“Its indeed a very serious matter, as seven days after Modi visited Pakistan to meet Nawaz Sharif, a terrorist module comes from Pakistan and attacks in Punjab and attacks our frontline security installation.

It is also to increase tension between the two nations so that the upcoming foreign secretary-level talks get cancelled, sources said.

The skirmishes at the Line of Control and the Working Boundary occurred between January 1, 2010 to October 22, 2015 and if meaningful talks are not held, the numbers might go up.

He, however, cautioned against unrealistic expectations from the dialogue process and said early progress on some issues is likely while it would take time for the others.