Indian PM makes surprise ‘goodwill’ visit to Pakistan

Narendra Modi drops in on surprise visit after calling up Nawaz Sharif just hours earlier.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, right, is welcomed by his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif at Lahore airport on December 25, 2015. Press Information Bureau / EPA

LAHORE // Indian prime minister Narendra Modi made a surprise “goodwill” visit to his country’s arch-rival Pakistan on Friday to meet counterpart Nawaz Sharif, both reaffirming the resumption of high-level peace talks.

It was the first time an Indian premier had set foot on Pakistani soil in more than 10 years and was seen by analysts as a step towards normalising ties between neighbours which have fought three wars.

State television footage showed an Indian air force jet landing in late afternoon at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport where Mr Sharif – who celebrated his birthday on Friday – had flown by helicopter.

Mr Sharif, flanked by his cabinet ministers, received his guest on the tarmac where military officers lined up along a red carpet.

Both leaders wore their national dress and made their way to Mr Sharif’s helicopter, which flew them to the Pakistani prime minister’s residence south of the city “for tea”.

They were seen smiling as they walked hand-in-hand and chatted in Mr Sharif’s living room.

After two-and-half hours, Mr Modi was waved off by Mr Sharif at the airport.

Pakistan foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry told a press conference that it was a “purely goodwill visit”.

“It was decided that the foreign secretaries should meet in Islamabad in the middle of next month to take a comprehensive dialogue forward,” Mr Chaudhry said.

He said Mr Modi wished Mr Sharif on his birthday and the meeting took place in a “cordial atmosphere.”

“Both leaders agreed that it was extremely important that the leaders of both countries should understand each others point of view so that the doors of prosperity could open for their people,” Mr Chaudhry said.

Mr Modi had earlier made the surprise announcement to visit Mr Sharif on Twitter as he wound up his visit to Afghanistan with an address to the Afghan parliament.

“Looking forward to meeting P M Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi,” he said.

Mr Chaudhry explained that Mr Modi phoned Mr Sharif and asked if he could make a stop in Pakistan on his way home.

“And the PM said to him, ‘Please come, you are our guest, please come and have tea with me’,” he said.

The last visit to Pakistan by an Indian prime minister was in 2004 by then leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is credited with bringing about a thaw in relations with Islamabad.

Mr Modi and Mr Sharif have had a stop-start diplomatic relationship since the Indian premier’s surprise invitation to Mr Sharif to his inauguration last May.

Initial optimism about a revival of ties was short lived as the two countries traded heavy fire across their disputed border in the Himalayan territory of Kashmir which claimed dozens of lives on both sides.

But earlier this month, they agreed to resume high-level talks that would cover peace and security as well as territorial disputes, including over Kashmir.

A brief meeting between Mr Sharif Mr Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations climate change summit in Paris on November 30, followed by talks between the two countries’ national security advisers in Bangkok, appeared to have broken the ice.

Though officials have remained tight-lipped about the agenda, the meeting was hailed by regional observers.

Imtiaz Gul, head of the Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies, said: “It’s an extremely welcome move and it shows that the baby steps promised at the Paris summit between the two Prime Ministers have transformed into a much bigger step, which holds big promise for both countries.”

Earlier on Friday, in his speech to the Afghan parliament, Mr Modi urged closer cooperation between India, Pakistan and other neighbours for Afghanistan’s progress.

“We know that Afghanistan’s success will require the cooperation and support of each of its neighbours. And, all of us in the region – India, Pakistan, Iran and others – must unite ... behind this common purpose,” Mr Modi said.

He also made a veiled reference to Pakistan on the issue of cross-border terrorism in Afghanistan.

“Afghanistan will succeed only when terrorism no longer flows across the border, when nurseries and sanctuaries of terrorism are shut, and, their patrons are no longer in business,” Mr Modi said.

India’s main opposition party, Congress, criticised Mr Modi’s “irresponsible” decision.

An Indian citizen, Manoj Mehra tweeted: “Pakistan still killing our soldiers, civilians, fishermen. What has changed Mr Narendra Modi?”

In Pakistan, opposition senator Sherry Rehman said that while most Pakistanis backed better ties, parliament had not been consulted and it was unclear what concessions Islamabad was ready to make.

“It’s a small step because we don’t know what kind of sustainable progress is based around it. We don’t know if this is more than a grand gesture,” she said.

* Agence France-Presse