Their last formal talks were in May, 2014, after Sharif attended Modi’s inauguration in New Delhi, a first for a Pakistani leader.
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In Pakistan, initially there was welcome of the meeting between Modi and Sharif, but later leaders and media in the country criticised the government over the absence of any mention of the vexed Kashmir issue in the joint statement.
Indian officials had previously refused to confirm Modi’s participation at the next summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which is being held in the Pakistani capital. The leaders also agreed on the need to work out a “mechanism for facilitating religious tourism”, agreed to the release of fishermen in each other’s’ custody, and promised to discuss the ways to expedite the Mumbai terror attack trials.
A meeting in New Delhi between the two NSAs* to discuss all issues connected to terrorism.
Foreign secretaries of the two countries were to meet in August past year in Islamabad but the talks were cancelled by India which protested the Pakistani envoy in Delhi meeting Kashmiri separatist leaders ahead of the parleys.
He also said both leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms.
Among the most notable examples of these was covered by an HNGN report, where a Pakistani chief offered a $16 million reward for the arrest of Indian Prime Minister Modi.
“The meeting between India and Pakistan prime ministers was held in a cordial atmosphere”, said Aizaz Chaudhry, Pakistan foreign secretary.
He said an early meeting between DG Indian border security force and DG Rangers Pakistan will be held which will be followed by the meeting of DGMOs. File pic He challenged Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to teach Pakistan a lesson instead of fostering a dialogue with its premier, and suggested that the BJP-led governments in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were most corrupt.
“It is unfortunate that Modi ji met Nawaz Sharif today”.
In April, when a Pakistani court freed on bail Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, accused of plotting the attacks, the move drew swift condemnation from India, which warned that relations were deteriorating.
The daily added: “There is reason to hope the visit will actually take place because Modi has made furthering regional relationships, especially with Saarc countries, a foreign policy priority, even if that approach has thus far tended to exclude Pakistan”.
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Of the three full-scale wars the countries have fought since 1947, two have been over Kashmir.
