Modi invites Sharif, Saarc heads May 26
New govt reaching out to neighbours Karzai, Rajapakse say they’ll attend
In a strategically- astute move expected to yield major diplomatic dividends, the leaders of the eight Saarc member countries, including Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, have been invited to attend the Narendra Modi government’s swearing- in ceremony.
This is the first time that foreign heads of state and government are being invited to the swearing- in of an Indian Prime Minister.
The surprise move to invite the Saarc leaders to the May 26 ceremony is seen as a masterstroke by Modi to reach out to the immediate neighbourhood. More important, as far as Pakistan is concerned, the invitation is seen as putting the ball in Mr Sharif’s court with regard to the peace process between the two countries.
Further, it has raised the prospect of the two PMs meeting right at the outset of Mr Modi’s tenure. It could well set the stage for an early resumption of the stalled bilateral composite dialogue process despite the BJP’s tough stance on
Top Nawaz aides give indication of a ‘ positive response’ from Islamabad
In Kashmir, both Omar & Mehbooba welcome move, call it good omen
Pakistan.
The invitations, sent by foreign secretary Sujatha Singh on behalf of Mr Modi, were formally handed over to the diplomatic representatives of the Saarc countries in New Delhi on Wednesday evening, and a formal response is awaited.
It is learnt informally, though, that Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay have already indicated their willingness to attend.
There is no word from Pakistan officially yet, but a top aide of Mr Sharif said in Islamabad that the Pakistan PM would respond “positively” to the invitation. “We are yet to officially get the invitation. It is in the media. When we receive the invitation formally, we will surely respond positively,” he said.
It is learnt Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Wajed may not be able to make it as she will be on an official visit to Japan at that time. But it is understood that the Speaker of Bangladesh’s Parliament, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, will represent the country.
Explaining the move, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said Wednesday that a peaceful change in the world’s largest democracy was an “occasion to showcase to the whole world the strength of democracy”. He added that it was Mr Modi himself who desired that the Saarc
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will respond “positively” to Indian Prime Minister- elect Narendra Modi’s invitation to attend the oath- taking ceremony, officials here said.
“We are yet to officially get the invitation. It is in the media. When we receive the invitation formally we will surely respond positively,” said a senior government official.
He said Prime Minister Sharif had worked well with the last Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) PM, Atal Behari Vajpayee, and he is optimistic to improve ties during Mr Modi’s tenure.
It was during Mr Sharif ’ s second term in 1999 that Mr Vajpayee rode a bus to Lahore to sign a peace accord, raising the prospect for normalisation between the two- nuclear armed neighbours that have fought three wars.
Three months later, the countries embarked on the Kargil conflict in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, though Mr Sharif has blamed his then Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf, who went on to overthrow him in a coup, for provoking the fighting without his knowledge.
Prime Minister Sharif, a strong advocate of Pakistan- India friendship, has already sought inputs from top diplomats and his close aides about the prospects of result- oriented dialogue with New Delhi when the BJP government takes over. The officials said PM Sharif has sought the opinion of Pakistan’s ambassadors/ high commissioners Syed Jalil Abbas Jailani ( US), Masood Khan ( UN- New York), Zamir Akram ( ungeneva).