Nawaz Sharif meets Modi

Modi’s meeting with Sharif has aroused maximum interest in the media

India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi has met with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at Hyderabad House.

The historic bilateral talks between the two leaders have begun on Tuesday.

Sushma Swaraj, India’s new Minister for External Affairs, is also attending the meeting.

In September of last year, Sharif had held a meeting with then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York.

Though Modi met with all the leaders from the SAARC countries, the meeting with Sharif has aroused maximum interest in the media due to the troubled relationship between the two countries over the years.

The bilateral relationship has been bedeviled by what India views as Pakistan’s hesitation in taking action against the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

Before his departure to India, Sharif was reported by the Pakistani media as saying that he was carrying a message of peace and will discuss all matters with the Indian leadership.

As a goodwill gesture, Sharif on Sunday ordered the release of 151 Indian prisoners captured by Pakistan.

There is a sense of anticipation among the people of both countries over Sharif’s meeting with Modi.

It will be Modi’s last meeting of the day with SAARC leaders who had flown in to attend his swearing-in ceremony Monday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Officials termed the meetings of the leaders with Modi as “courtesy meetings”.

Source: Dhaka Tribune