US, UN, China welcome Modi-Sharif meeting

Modi made a surprise stopover in Pakistan on Friday to meet Sharif – the first time an Indian premier has visited the rival nation in over a decade.

Modi had called Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to greet him on his birthday, when Sharif asked Modi to visit Islamabad. The security overcame two challeneges-IAF chopper at Lahore airport and Modi’s 45-kilometre road journey from the airport to Sharif’s Raiwind Palace through the heart of Lahore.

Modi’s visit was seen very important ahead of the resumption of the official dialogue between the two countries next month after a break of almost eight year.

Twitter was soon abuzz with creative hashtags such as #BiryaniWithNawaz, as jokes referring to the budding bro-mance dominated the narrative. I will come before you to discuss this in detail and would welcome your suggestions.

Nevertheless, a message was issued to all the haters. But more interesting was his mention that India Afghanistan relationship will be build by a bridge in Pakistan. This was the first visit of Indian Prime Minister to Pakistan after 2004 when Vajpayee had travelled to the country for the SAARC summit. The visit signals new determination on his part to promote peace with Pakistan and has infused fresh momentum in peace talks between the two sides, say analysts.

“We welcome the December 25 talks between PM Modi and PM Sharif in Lahore”.

Briefing the media after Nawaz-Modi meeting at Jati Umrah residence of Sharifs, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said: “PM Modi’s visit to Lahore was not a planned one”.

“(Atal Behari) Vajpayee had, to mend relations between both countries started the “Lahore bus” service and also went out of his way to meet General (Parvez) Musharraf in Agra.

“It is really rare for leaders from the two countries to refrain from putting the other person in a spot, at least once”, the source said.

The advisor said the visit of Indian prime minister was a goodwill visit and it has been welcomed by majority of people in Pakistan and India as well as the worldwide community.