A Stepping Stone for India-Pakistan Engagement

“Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi”, the Indian prime minister said on Twitter during his visit to Kabul. 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.

Pakistan described Modi’s stopover here as a “goodwill visit” and said the two leaders discussed about the comprehensive dialogue which the two countries have recently chose to start. On January 16, I will talk about it at length: Modi.

When Jaishankar meets Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, they should have a tentative plan and schedule of engagements for the next few months.

Modi also said that before Republic Day, people should take on the task of cleaning up the statues of various personalities located in various cities, towns and villages of the country.

They talked for about 90 minutes and shared an early-evening meal. The two leaders have agreed in principle that no effort of the extremist forces in both the countries should be allowed to derail the peace process and every effort shall be made to bring the two countries closer and resolve all bilateral issues amicably and peacefully.

Spurning official talks in Islamabad, Modi chose to make an intimate trip to Nawaz’s ancestral residence near Lahore on Friday during his surprise visit, where the latter was celebrating his birthday and the wedding of his granddaughter.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Pakistan policy continues to surprise. Frequent meetings between India and Pakistan bode well for improving ties and enhancing mutual trust.

India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars and have a simmering territorial dispute, have a hard relationship.

Modi, a Hindu nationalist, came to power in 2014, and has authorised a more robust approach to Pakistan, giving security forces the licence to retaliate forcefully along their disputed border and demanding an end to insurgent attacks in Indian territory. It’s the first time an Indian prime minister has visited the rival nation in over a decade. Indeed, it’s hard to look at the photographs that came out of Modi’s Lahore visit and not sense just how remarkable they are.

“If the decision is not preposterous then it is utterly ridiculous”, Congress leader Manish Tewari said.

“We know that Afghanistan’s success will require the cooperation and support of each of its neighbours”, he said.