Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will travel to India on Monday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, ending the suspense over his visit amid reports that there was stiff opposition from hardliners in the establishment here.
An official of the Prime Minister’s Office told PTI that Sharif accepted the invitation and will visit India on Monday to attend Modi’s oath-taking ceremony.
Sharif’s delegation will include Advisor Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry.
Sharif and Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi will have a bilateral meeting on May 27 before his return to Pakistan.
Sharif took time before making a decision as he wanted to create consensus before travelling to Delhi.
He spent two days talking to political parties, leaders and officials of the military.
A senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz told PTI that Sharif wanted to make the trip meaningful and not just a PR exercise.
He rejected the impression that Pakistan took time, saying that consultations were essential as Modi had made hard-hitting speeches against Pakistan during his election campaign.
Radio Pakistan reported that the occasion will provide an opportunity to devise a strategy for moving forward towards bringing peace to the region and normalising ties with India, for which Pakistan has always expressed its determination and resolve.
The delay in Sharif confirming his attendance in the oath ceremony was attributed to opposition from hardliners in the army establishment.
Modi has invited all the leaders of member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to the ceremony.
Prime Minister Sharif had telephoned Modi to congratulate him on his party’s election victory and invited him to visit Pakistan after assuming office.