Three days after he was invited, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today announced that he will travel to New Delhi on May 26 to attend the swearing- in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, following which he will hold bilateral talks.
Sharif, who will reach New Delhi on Monday, would be accompanied by his Advisor on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry among others.
The announcement by the Prime Minister's Officem ended the suspense over Sharif's visit that was being opposed by the hardliners in the establishment in Islamabad.
PML-N party sources said, the development came after Prime Minister's brother and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met the Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif last night for about half-an-hour.
Shahbaz Sharif conveyed to Gen Raheel Sharif the importance of the visit to India for maintaining good relations between the two countries and peace in the region.
A Foreign Office statement in Islamabad said, according to the programme received from India, the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the morning of May 27. The Prime Minister would also call on the President of India.
The delay in Sharif confirming his attendance at the swearing-in ceremony was attributed to opposition from hardliners in the Pak army establishment .
Prime Minister Sharif had telephoned Modi to congratulate him on his party's election victory and invited him to visit Pakistan after assuming office.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that New Delhi has received confirmation from Islamabad on Nawaz Sharif's participation. Six SAARC countries including Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives and Bangladesh have already confirmed their participation.
Mr Modi had invited all the leaders of member states of the SAARC to the ceremony.
It is for the first time that Heads of foreign countries have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of India's Prime Minister. About three thousand guests are expected to witness the function at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Prakash Javadekar of BJP said it is a good move and a beginning of a new relationship.
Welcoming the participation of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi told AIR that it has been the policy of the Congress to have good relationship with all the neighbours.
JD(U) leader K C Tyagi said it is a good decision taken in haste. He said New Delhi has to take up issues of terrorism, Dawood Ibrahim, Hafeez Sayed with Islamabad.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hoped that this would mark a new beginning in Indo-Pak relations. Omar wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.com that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be closely watching the developments.
