Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Kathmandu/New Delhi, The frosty Indo-Pak ties briefly gave way to some warmth when a smiling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif today shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. But India cautioned against reading too much into such “courtesies”.
Moments before the 18th SAARC Summit concluded after two days of deliberations here, Modi and Sharif shook hands and exchanged a few sentences to loud applause of other leaders and their delegations, who were witness to the cold vibes between the two Prime Ministers at the opening session yesterday when they ignored each other.
“Let’s not read too many things into courtesies that are being extended,” Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said on the brief interaction between Modi and Sharif.
“Baat bhi hui mulaqaat bhi hui (they met and also talked),” the spokesperson said, but categorically denied that there was any “one-on-one” contact between the both.
Noting that India had already made it clear that there were no “substantive and structured” discussions between the two Prime Ministers, Akbaruddin said, “This is what exactly happened” and reiterated India’s position for “cooperative, peaceful” relations with Pakistan.
During their brief interaction towards the end of the summit, Modi put his hand on Sharif’s arm as the two leaders looked at cameras with a long handshake even as they exchanged a few sentences.
The brief Modi-Sharif bonhomie was summed up by a tweet by Akbaruddin, “the photo all were waiting for”.
This was the second time during the day that the two leaders had shaken hands and exchanged pleasantries, the first occasion being the retreat in Dhulikhel, a picturesque tourist resort, about 30 km from Kathmandu, where the SAARC leaders held deliberations in an informal setting.
At the concluding session, Modi also clapped before and after Sharif’s vote of thanks as the host for the next SAARC Summit in Islamabad.
As in the past SAARC Summits, the chemistry between Indian and Pakistani leaders grabbed much attention at this conclave of the eight South Asian nations.
There were hectic efforts to pursue the Pakistani side, which stalled the inking of the pacts on the pretext that internal processes were not completed following which three months’ time was set for getting approval. – PTI
