Nation will pay cost of PM’s tea in Lahore: Congress

“The Secretary General has always been encouraging both leaders of the two countries to engage in dialogue”.

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.

It’s the closest thing to a Christmas miracle for India-Pakistan relations.

Observers say that current quick rather dramatic improvement in Pakistan-India ties is not simply a result of diplomatic channels of two countries but United States, United Kingdom and Germany have also played key role in these achievements.

The visit was the first by an Indian PM to Pakistan in 11 years.

The Paris meeting was the first between the two leaders after July when they had met in the Russian city of Ufa and had agreed that their National Security Advisers would meet.

Mr. Chaudhury described Mr. Modi’s stopover as “a goodwill visit” that helped prepare for a meeting in January between the countries’ top diplomats.

Sharif’s sprawling residence had been colorfully decorated for his granddaughter’s wedding reception when Modi arrived along with the Pakistani prime minister.

Welcoming Modi’s visit, Imran Khan said he had also invited the Indian premier to Pakistan during his recent visit to India.

It is signifi cant that Modi was coming into Lahore from Afghanistan.

“All of us in the region – India, Pakistan, Iran and others – must unite, in trust and cooperation, behind this common objective and in recognition of our common destiny”.

The thaw in ties came after months of tension and clashes along the Line of Control in which dozens of Pakistani citizens had been martyred by unprovoked firing by the Indian army. “People-to-people contact needs to increase” to improve the chances for peace, he said. “India and Pakistan have to evolve a mechanism to involve the core party to the issue _ that is the Kashmiri people”. However, he says, the Indian side is concerned about the motives of Pakistan in dealing with terror groups, who have carried out terrorist attacks in India. Saeed lives openly in Pakistan and often appears on TV interviews; the government claims it lacks the evidence to charge him.