Indian Prime Minister makes surprise visit, meets with Pakistani counterpart

Modi stayed for over two hours in Lahore on his way back home from Afghanistan yesterday during which he held talks with his counterpart Nawaz Sharif at his Raiwind house.

Injecting an element of drama into the see-saw Indo-Pak ties, Modi took the world by surprise by announcing in a tweet from Kabul that he will “drop by” in Lahore to greet Sharif on his 66th birthday today.

“The two foreign secretaries will now meet in Islamabad this month”, Chaudhry said, adding that all the issues that are part of the composite dialogue process would be discussed.

Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two of them over Kashmir, the Himalayan region that both countries claim.

Frowning at Modi’s unexpected ice-breaking visit to attend Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif’s grand-daughter’s wedding at Lahore, Sena leader Sanjay Raut said his party would appreciate the PM’s visit if he managed to bring back fugitive Dawood Ibrahim back to India. Prime Minister Nawaz welcomed his Indian counterpart at Allama Iqbal International Airport among federal ministers including Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

“Mr Modi wished Mr. Sharif a happy birthday and congratulated him on her granddaughter’s wedding”, he said. But his desires have been viewed with suspicion and disapproval by the powerful Pakistani military establishment, which remains focused on the resolution of the longtime dispute over Kashmir. The Indian premier inaugurated the Parliament house in Kabul on Friday morning.

But few in India and Pakistan knew about the programme, coming at a time when bilateral relations between New Delhi and Islamabad showed definite improvement after months of tensions and border clashes.

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

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.

“Our government has been pushing for dialogue between India and Pakistan”.

He also termed as “very touching” Sharif’s affection towards BJP veteran and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Members of the Indian Youth Congress in New Delhi also staged a protest against the visit, during which they burned an effigy of Modi.

An official spokesperson for the CM said Sayeed is “delighted” by Modi’s visit, which will further “strengthen the bonds of friendship and usher in an era of peace and stability in the region”.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a key separatist leader in the Indian portion of Kashmir, said: “It’s a welcome step”. This was followed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to Islamabad.

Modi, a Hindu zealot, came to power in 2014, and has authorized a more robust approach to Pakistan, giving security forces the license to retaliate forcefully along their disputed border and demanding an end to insurgent attacks in Indian territory.