Modi, Sharif break ice
11 July 2015 5:41 AM IST
In a significant decision, Modi accepted Sharif’s invitation and agreed to visit Pakistan next year for the SAARC Summit.
In their first bilateral talks in over an year, the two leaders met for nearly an hour in Ufa’s Congress Hall here on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and decided that National Security Advisers Ajit Doval and Sartaj Aziz will meet in New Delhi either next month or in September to discuss “all issues connected to terrorism”. The two leaders focused their discussions mainly on terrorism, which India has been projecting as the core issue souring Indo-Pak relations.
Modi and Sharif had held bilateral talks in May last year in New Delhi when the Pakistan Prime Minister came to attend <g data-gr-id="31">swearing-in</g> ceremony of the Indian leader. They came face-to- face in Kathmandu in November last for the SAARC Summit but only exchanged pleasantries.
Foreign Secretaries of the two countries were to meet in August last year in <g data-gr-id="29">Islamabad</g> but the talks were cancelled by India which protested the Pakistani envoy in Delhi meeting Kashmiri separatist leaders ahead of the parleys.
A one-page joint statement outlining a five-point roadmap issued after the Modi-Sharif meeting said, “Both sides agreed to discuss ways and means to expedite the Mumbai case trial (in Pakistan), including additional information like providing voice samples”. PM Narendra Modi’s meeting with Nawaz Sharif on Friday and its outcome to evoked a mixed response with BJP seeing a “glimmer of light” in the bilateral relationship while Congress dismissed it as neither historic nor a breakthrough. Regional parties had a different take with the ruling PDP and opposition National Conference of Jammu and Kashmir welcoming the dialogue while Shiv Sena did not share its ally BJP’s enthusiasm on the issue.
Hailing the outcome of the meeting between the two leaders in Ufa, Russia, BJP spokesman
M J Akbar said Pakistan has for the first time accepted India’s “definition” of terrorism. He told reporters that it has provided an opportunity to take forward the relationship between the two countries.
However, Congress was quick to puncture BJP’s enthusiasm on the issue. Former Union Minister Anand Sharma said the outcome of the meeting was a watering down of India’s long-held positions on terrorism and commitments extracted from Pak on the issue.
Accusing the Modi government of inconsistency in dealing with Pakistan, he said all the steps of Prime Minister Modi on Pakistan have been ill-advised as he has no clear policy on how to deal with it.
“Congress is of the constant view that there has to be constructive interaction with Pakistan provided that terror machinery is dismantled and perpetrators of Mumbai attack are brought to justice. The country is in the dark as to what assurance the government has got from Pakistan,” he said.
Both ruling PDP and National Conference welcomed the decision to revive the stalled Indo-Pak dialogue.
“We warmly welcome the initiative taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. We laud the efforts made by our Prime Minister and also the bold response offered by his Pakistan counterpart,” senior PDP leader and Education Minister Naeem Akhter told reporters in Srinagar.
Former Chief Minister and NC leader Omar Abdullah hoped that the dialogue would be sustained over the long term for results.
“Resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue is a welcome development. I only hope that this time it is sustained over the long term for results,” Omar wrote on Twitter.
However, BJP’s ally in Maharashtra Shiv Sena termed Modi’s meeting with Sharif as “unfortunate”, refusing to share ally BJP’s enthusiasm over the development.
“It is unfortunate that Modi ji met Nawaz Sharif. There has been no change in conditions (on the border). People have lots of expectations from Modi,” party president Uddhav Thackeray said.
“I feel he (Modi) is capable of changing the current situation and the neighbouring country needs to be taught a lesson in a manner it understands,” he said.
SCO includes India as full member
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday decided to include India as a full member, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to offer to work with the six- member grouping to enhance connectivity, combat terror and create an environment for boosting trade by easing barriers. India had an Observer status for the past 10 years.
Next Story
