Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold bilateral discussions with his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif in a shortwhile from now.

The two leaders are expected to hold consultations on entire gamut of affairs of mutual interest to the two countries. Earlier, Mr Sharif visited historic Jama Masjid in Walled city. Before flying back to Islamabad, he will call on President Pranab Mukherjee and meet former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Our correspondent reports, in an interview to a private TV channel, Mr Sharif said that he wants the two countries to begin with picking up threads from where he and Vajpayee had left off in 1999.

In the morning, Mr Modi held bilateral discussions with leaders of SAARC nations at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

He met Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala.

Mr Modi will also meet
Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury this afternoon.

According to official sources, Prime Minister’s interaction with the foreign leaders will be brief but give the first indication of the new government’s thinking on its relations with the neighbouring countries.

Later, the visiting dignitaries will also call on President Pranab Mukherjee.

Earlier, the Prime Minister held meetings with senior officials in the Ministry of External Affairs who briefed him about his bilateral meetings with heads of states and governments of SAARC countries.