PM Nawaz Sharif shakes hands with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi upon latter's arrival at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore on December 25, 2015. PHOTO: PID
Nawaz,Modi hold talks at PM;s Jati Umra residence in Raiwind
By Agencies / Abdul Manan
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise stopover in Lahore today to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Earlier, the Indian premier said he will “drop by” in Lahore on his way back to New Delhi from Afghanistan, in what would be the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in more than 10 years. Modi also said he called Nawaz to wish him on his birthday.
Sushma Swaraj @SushmaSwaraj
That's like a statesman. Padosi se aise hi rishte hone chahiyen.
Sushma Swaraj added,
Sushma Swaraj Retweeted Narendra Modi Narendra Modi @narendramodi
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 made the surprise announcement as he wound up his visit to Afghanistan with an address to the Afghan parliament.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart arrived at the former’s residence, Jati Umra, at Raiwind in Lahore, Express News reported.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi at Jati Umra in
Raiwind on December 25, 2015. PHOTO: PID.
Video:PM Narendra Modi meets Pak PM Nawaz Sharif
Modi heads to PM’s Raiwind residence
Modi and his 120-men entourage head to Jati Umra on a private helicopter, where the Indian premier is expected to meet PM Nawaz’s mother.“Modi will also attend an event for Nawaz’s granddaughter’s wedding,” a source said.PM Nawaz receives Modi on the tarmac where military officials have been lined up along a red carpet. PM Nawaz hugged Modi upon his arrival. A spokesperson at the premier’s office told Reuters the two leaders will discuss a range of bilateral issues, including the issue of Kashmir.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands at Lahore airport
Modi lands in Lahore where he will be met by PM Nawaz and other officials.
State TV footage showed the Indian Air Force jumbo jet land at the Allama Iqbal International Airport where Sharif had flown in by helicopter moments earlier. Sajjan Jindal also in Lahore to ‘greet PM Nawaz on birthday’
Indian steel magnate Sajjan Jindal, the brother of former Congress MP Naveen Jindal, who reportedly arranged the secret meeting between Nawaz and Modi in Katmandu is also in Pakistan. “In Lahore to greet PM Nawaz Sharif on his birthday,” Jindal tweeted.
Renowned TV journalist Barkha Dutt in her debut book This Unquiet Land — Stories from India’s Fault Lines described Jindal as an informal messenger serving as a “covert bridge” between the two leaders.
Unknown to the media and certainly the public, both Modi and Sharif had found someone to “keep them connected even when things got difficult”, Dutt wrote in her book regarding Jindal.
Nawaz reaches Lahore airport to receive Modi
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reached the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore to receive his Indian counterpart, Express Newsreported. Breakthrough at last
According to sources, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will assist PM Nawaz while Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will assist PM Modi during the meeting, which will discuss matters of mutual interest. Details of Nawaz, Modi meeting being worked out: FO
“I can confirm that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is arriving in Lahore,” Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah told state television. ”The details of the meeting are being worked out,” he added.
India’s Congress terms Modi’s Lahore visit ‘irresponsible’
India’s opposition Congress Party called Modi’s visit irresponsible and said that nothing had changed to warrant warming of ties between the nuclear-armed rivals that only in August cancelled scheduled high-level talks after ceasefire violations across the border.
“If the decision is not preposterous then it is utterly ridiculous,” Congress leader Manish Tewari said.
One should have such relations with the neighbours: Sushma Swaraj
Further, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj also confirmed the meeting between the two leaders. “That’s like a statesman,” Swaraj said on Twitter. “One should have such relations with the neighbours,” she added.
However, Modi’s visit to Lahore is being censured by opposition political parties back in New Delhi. “Our foreign policy is going from the sublime to the ridiculous. You can’t do such things in such a cavalier manner…this is going to blow up in the PMs face,” India’s NDTV quoted former Congress union minister Manish Tewari as saying. PM House confirms Modi’s visit
The Prime Minister House also confirmed the Indian premier’s surprise visit. The prime minister will personally receive his Indian counterpart at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, where Modi’s plane will land at 2:45 pm, the PM House spokesperson added. Modi announces surprise visit to Pakistan
“Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi,” the Indian premier said on Twitter.
Modi also wished PM Nawaz on his birthday. “Spoke to PM Nawaz Sharif & wished him on his birthday,” the Indian prime minister said in another Twitter message.
The last meeting between Modi and Nawaz took place in November on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, where the two premiers exchanged pleasantries and held a brief meeting.
A week later, Swaraj arrived in Islamabad to take part in the fifth ‘Heart of Asia ─ Istanbul process’ ministerial conference.
The Indian foreign minister held meetings with PM Nawaz and his Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz. It was later announced that both the countries decided to restart a composite dialogue.
Earlier in July, PM Nawaz and Modi held a meeting in Ufa, Russia during which matters of mutual interest were discussed.
During the meeting, Nawaz reiterated his invitation to the Indian prime minsiter to visit South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit in Pakistan in 2016 which Modi gladly accepted.
India and Pakistan have been arch-rivals since gaining independence from Britain in 1947 and have fought three wars against each other.
Diplomacy between the two nuclear-armed countries worsened significantly in 2014 following the election of Hindu nationalist Modi as prime minister in India, with shelling across their border in Kashmir claiming dozens of lives.
However, hopes have rekindled after recent breakthrough developments in the shape of meetings between the top political leadership of the two countries and their subsequent pledge to resume a comprehensive dialogue process, increase trade and boost ties between Islamabad and New Delhi.
It is the first time in over a decade that an Indian premier is visiting Pakistan. Former Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Islamabad in January 2004 to attend the Saarc summit in the federal capital. THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE , Published: December 25, 2015
Nawaz welcomes Modi at the Lahore airport.─ Photo: Vikas Swarup's Twitter profile PM
Vikas Swarup :Family matters. PM visits PM Sharif's home in a special gesture, where his grand-daughter's wedding is being held
Curtsey: Vikas Swarup@MEAIndia
Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs
Modi arrives in Lahore on surprise visit
IRFAN HAIDER
LAHORE: Indian premier Narendra Modi landed at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport today on a surprise visit, where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were present to receive him.
This is the first time an Indian premier has visited Pakistan in more than a decade.
Modi receives flowers from a young girl on his arrival at Lahore airport.─Photo: Indian MEA spokesman's Twitter profile
Television footage showed Modi exit his jet and embrace PM Nawaz, after which the two heads flew in a helicopter to Nawaz Sharif's private residence in Raiwind. A groundbreaking tweet
The visit itself was announced in a novel way – on Twitter.
Modi said he would stop over in Lahore on his way to New Delhi from Afghanistan.
Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, responding to Modi's announcement, said on Twitter: "That's like a statesman. Such should be the relationship between neighbours."
Congress questions visit India's major opposition party, Congress, questioned Modi's visit to Pakistan, saying serious information like this should not have been revealed through Twitter, reported Times of India.
"It is unfortunate that we get to know about prime minister's visit through a tweet... India and Pakistan relations are not so good as yet that he stops over there on his way back from another country," Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told IANS.
Congress leader Manish Tewari called it an "adventure" by the Indian prime minister.
Modi arrived in Kabul on Friday, where he inaugurated the country's new parliament building, a project initiated by the Indian government in 2007 as a mark of friendship and cooperation to help rebuild war-torn Afghanistan.
The last meeting between Modi and Nawaz took place in November on the sidelines of the 21st UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, where the two premiers exchanged pleasantries and had a friendly chat.
In a breakthrough, Pakistan and India earlier this month agreed to reinitiate a comprehensive dialogue process during Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Islamabad for the 'Heart of Asia' conference.
Since Modi's ascent to power, tensions between the two countries have remained high, with foreign secretary-level talks cancelled last year and security advisers' dialogue abandoned in August this year.
But the relationship thawed after Modi and Sharif resumed high-level contacts with a brief conversation at a climate change summit in Paris last month and their national security advisers met in Bangkok earlier this month.
The brief and unannounced meeting between the two security advisers in Bangkok and a joint statement they issued showed New Delhi rowing back from its recent position and agreeing to discuss Jammu and Kashmir in the otherwise familiar mix of issues.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told the National Assembly that the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India will meet soon to discuss modalities regarding the bilateral dialogue which will include matters related to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage, Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues, people to people exchanges and religious tourism.
Swaraj told the Indian parliament last week that war is not an option and dialogue is the way forward with Pakistan to fight the ‘shadow of terror'.
Modi arrives in Lahore on surprise visit
IRFAN HAIDER
Modi leaving his jet. – courtesy PTV
LAHORE: Indian premier Narendra Modi landed at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport today on a surprise visit, where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were present to receive him
Indian Air Force jet lands at Lahore airport. – courtesy PTV
Television footage showed Modi exit his jet and embrace PM Nawaz, after which the two heads flew away from the airport in a helicopter.
This is the first time an Indian premier has visited Pakistan in more than a decade. A groundbreaking tweet
The visit itself was announced in a novel way – on Twitter.
Modi said he would stop over in Lahore on his way to New Delhi from Afghanistan.
Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, responding to Modi's announcement, said on Twitter: "That's like a statesman. Such should be the relationship between neighbours." Congress questions visit India's major opposition party, Congress, questioned Modi's visit to Pakistan, saying serious information like this should not have been revealed through Twitter, reported Times of India.
"It is unfortunate that we get to know about prime minister's visit through a tweet... India and Pakistan relations are not so good as yet that he stops over there on his way back from another country," Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told IANS.
Congress leader Manish Tewari called it an "adventure" by the Indian prime minister.
Modi arrived in Kabul on Friday, where he inaugurated the country's new parliament building, a project initiated by the Indian government in 2007 as a mark of friendship and cooperation to help rebuild war-torn Afghanistan.
The last meeting between Modi and Nawaz took place in November on the sidelines of the 21st UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, where the two premiers exchanged pleasantries and had a friendly chat.
In a breakthrough, Pakistan and India earlier this month agreed to reinitiate a comprehensive dialogue process during Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Islamabad for the 'Heart of Asia' conference.
Since Modi's ascent to power, tensions between the two countries have remained high, with foreign secretary-level talks cancelled last year and security advisers' dialogue abandoned in August this year.
But the relationship thawed after Modi and Sharif resumed high-level contacts with a brief conversation at a climate change summit in Paris last month and their national security advisers met in Bangkok earlier this month.
The brief and unannounced meeting between the two security advisers in Bangkok and a joint statement they issued showed New Delhi rowing back from its recent position and agreeing to discuss Jammu and Kashmir in the otherwise familiar mix of issues.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told the National Assembly that the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India will meet soon to discuss modalities regarding the bilateral dialogue which will include matters related to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage, Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues, people to people exchanges and religious tourism.
Swaraj told the Indian parliament last week that war is not an option and dialogue is the way forward with Pakistan to fight the ‘shadow of terror
Curtsey:DAWN.COM,Dec 25,2015-12-25
I called on Prime Minister of Pakistan. This was not a bilateral meeting which has flags of both countries.
Modi leaves for India after surprise Pakistan visit
IRFAN HAIDER
LAHORE: Indian premier Narendra Modi left for New Delhi after a brief surprise visit to Lahore where he was received by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and other Pakistani officials.
Modi and Nawaz Sharif also held a brief meeting at the latter's Raiwind residence. This was the first time an Indian premier has visited Pakistan in more than a decade.
Earlier, the Indian PM landed at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport on a surprise visit, where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif were present to receive him.
Both the leaders flew to Raiwind, where Mr Modi briefly attended PM Nawaz's grand daughter's wedding ceremony and then held a brief meeting with his Pakistani counterpart.
A groundbreaking tweet
The visit itself was announced in a novel way – on Twitter.
Modi said he would stop over in Lahore on his way to New Delhi from Afghanistan.
Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, responding to Modi's announcement, said on Twitter: "That's like a statesman. Such should be the relationship between neighbours."
Congress questions visit
India's major opposition party, Congress, questioned Modi's visit to Pakistan, saying serious information like this should not have been revealed through Twitter, reported Times of India
The meeting at Jati Umrah.─ Photo: PM House
"It is unfortunate that we get to know about prime minister's visit through a tweet... India and Pakistan relations are not so good as yet that he stops over there on his way back from another country," Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told IANS.
Congress leader Manish Tewari called it an "adventure" by the Indian prime minister.
Modi arrived in Kabul on Friday, where he inaugurated the country's new parliament building, a project initiated by the Indian government in 2007 as a mark of friendship and cooperation to help rebuild war-torn Afghanistan.
The last meeting between Modi and Nawaz took place in November on the sidelines of the 21st UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, where the two premiers exchanged pleasantries and had a friendly chat.
In a breakthrough, Pakistan and India earlier this month agreed to reinitiate a comprehensive dialogue process during Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Islamabad for the 'Heart of Asia' conference.
Since Modi's ascent to power, tensions between the two countries have remained high, with foreign secretary-level talks cancelled last year and security advisers' dialogue abandoned in August this year.
But the relationship thawed after Modi and Sharif resumed high-level contacts with a brief conversation at a climate change summit in Paris last month and their national security advisers met in Bangkok earlier this month.
PM Nawaz received his Indian counterpart at Lahore airport.─ Photo: PM House
The brief and unannounced meeting between the two security advisers in Bangkok and a joint statement they issued showed New Delhi rowing back from its recent position and agreeing to discuss Jammu and Kashmir in the otherwise familiar mix of issues.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told the National Assembly that the foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India will meet soon to discuss modalities regarding the bilateral dialogue which will include matters related to peace and security, Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, Wullar Barrage, Tulbul Navigation Project, economic and commercial cooperation, counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues, people to people exchanges and religious tourism.
Swaraj told the Indian parliament last week that war is not an option and dialogue is the way forward with Pakistan to fight the ‘shadow of terror'.
Modi's visit in Pictures
Indian PM Modi arrives at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport.─Photo: Indian MEA
PM Nawaz receiving Indian PM Modi on his arrival.─ Photo: Indian MEA
The handshake.─ Photo: Indian MEA
The two PMs moving towards the chopper.─ Photo: Indian MEA
Modi arrives at PM's residence where Nawaz Sharif's grand daughter's wedding ceremony was held.─ Photo: Indian MEA.
Modi meeting guests and family members of PM Nawaz.─Photo: Indian MEA
Curtsey:DAWN.COM,Dec 25,2015
Sushma Swaraj @SushmaSwaraj
