Indian PM accepts invitation to visit Pakistan

Published December 13, 2013
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif meeting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday. — Photo by INP
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif meeting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday. — Photo by INP

NEW DELHI, Dec 12: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday got a formal invite from his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif for visiting that country, which was accepted, The Economic Times said.

The invite was handed over to Dr Singh by Mr Sharif’s Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif who met the Indian prime minister for about half an hour.

Shahbaz Sharif was quoted as telling a group of reporters that the prime minister’s goodwill message was handed over to Dr Singh along with the invitation.

Asked about the response, he said Dr Singh had accepted the invitation. “Let us see”.

Pakistani leaders have been extending invitation to Singh for the last few years but the Indian leader has said his visit would depend on the situation on the ground in terms of terrorism and the LoC.

Pakistan High Commission said the message of goodwill from Nawaz Sharif emphasised “Pakistan’s desire to forge friendly and cooperative relations with India in the interest of peace and prosperity of the people of the two countries and of the region.”

The chief minister’s unusual meeting as protocol goes assumes significance given the disappointment expressed by India over the progress on agreed outcome of the meeting between Nawaz Sharif and his Pakistani counterpart in New York in September.

Besides Mr Fatemi, the Punjab chief minister was accompanied by Minister of State for Commerce Khurram Dastagir Khan and Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashood Khan and High Commissioner Salman Bashir.

The chief minister also underscored the importance of resumption of dialogue and peaceful resolution of all issues.

Opinion

Editorial

Deepening conflict
Updated 15 Jun, 2025

Deepening conflict

Some media reports say that the US had shipped hundreds of missiles to Israel before the attack on Iran.
Some strides
15 Jun, 2025

Some strides

THE PTI government in KP is not known for sound public service delivery in a province whose economy has been ...
Air India tragedy
15 Jun, 2025

Air India tragedy

THE black box of the ill-fated Air India flight AI171 has been recovered, and that should reveal in the coming days...
‘Declaration of war’
Updated 14 Jun, 2025

‘Declaration of war’

Israel's provocative behaviour has, once again, brought the Middle East to the precipice of a full-blown war.
A mixed bag
14 Jun, 2025

A mixed bag

SINDH’S Rs3.45tr budget for the next fiscal year seeks to combine populism with provincial tax reforms while also...
Water-starved city
14 Jun, 2025

Water-starved city

IT is an injustice that finds few parallels. Karachi, home to a burgeoning population of over 20m and the primary...