ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday accepted India’s invitation to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the neighbouring country’s prime minister-elect Narendra Modi, a spokesman for the Prime Minister House said.
The decision was made after a series of consultations that the premier held with his close aides.
Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz told Dawn that he had a series of meetings yesterday and day before with the premier in which the issue was discussed.
Moreover, Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said details of the visit were being worked out with the Indian authorities, including the composition of the prime minister’s delegation.
She said it was most likely that Aziz would accompany Prime Minister Sharif to New Delhi.
Sharif is among the leaders of member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) invited by Modi. It is the first time in Indian history that leaders from neighbouring countries have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of a prime minister.
Analysts had asserted that a slightly delayed response was due to the fact that Pakistan would be keen to insert a meaningful agenda during the usually accommodated bilateral talks even if the occasion has a multi-lateral flavour.
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
I dont think he should go, not at this point of time though. Let Modi government to take control of the government. In the coming few months we will find out what the priorities of Indian government are and which kind of relations they want to pursue with Pakistan. The cricket teams cannot visit the opposing countries, and the relations are far from normal otherwise. Sometimes you need to take a back seat and observe.
I think it's a great decision to attend the inauguration. If they would have taken back seat and observe.. they would have lost the initiative and opportunity.
It's time for both the sides to move on.. move forward rather.
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
Again, good relations with India and agreements like EU or NAFTA is in the best interest of Pakistan in terms of employment and better economy. Pakistanis have to learn a lot from the successes of Indian economy, politics and good governance. After partition people living in this part of the world lagged behind from their counterparts, though once they were one nation for thousands of years.
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
I doubt if anything positive will come out, its just a freaking ceremony. Nothing special.
Their PM didn't come when N.S. was to be sworn in. Don't know why Pakistanis are always in a inferiority complex when it comes to India.
Must be the bollywood effect ? Why do we need to please India all the time? They refuse to accept Pakistan's stances in all cases, but still we
always run to their call. Why? When will NS grow a pair and stand up for himself and his country of birth ?
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
It is just oath-swearing ceremony, so Nawaz Sharif's presence will be like ceremonial guest. I don't expect to see any result coming out of it in near future at least :)
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
Powerful symbolism is always the start of all diplomatic journeys.
Modi Government had the chance and the reason the to ignore this particular ceremonial guest. :)
They inivited everyone, even Sri Lankan president, against whom opposition in India is more violent. So he is trying to begin with everyone. Secondly the most important thing is Indian attitude, we don't consider any regional state, within sub-continent as equal partner (me being equally criminal in this offence) so there are hardly any chances of mutual collabration with any country here :)
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
They inivited everyone, even Sri Lankan president, against whom opposition in India is more violent. So he is trying to begin with everyone. Secondly the most important thing is Indian attitude, we don't consider any regional state, within sub-continent as equal partner (me being equally criminal in this offence) so there are hardly any chances of mutual collabration with any country here :)
Indeed. Already he's proved that his elections bravado was fallacy, and nothing more than just the desperate need of the hour. But nonetheless, it's still quite an amusing and assuring gesture on its own.
lol. That's not an Indian attitude, that's just post colonial subcontinental delusion for you. All subcontinent countries have the same attitude, hence there hasn't been any mutual collaborations in the region. :)
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
... the most important thing is Indian attitude, we don't consider any regional state, within sub-continent as equal partner (me being equally criminal in this offence) so there are hardly any chances of mutual collabration with any country here :)
Fortunately you can afford to be haughty, though it may not be a pragmatic approach in international relations and politics. Pakistan needs a friendly neighborhood more than any other country in the region while India lays claim on regional hegemony. Pakistan does not have a problem with India's ambitions as long as it behaves gentlemanly with it. I would agree that it would be a ceremonial meeting. But Sharif would want to use the occasion to give a 'personal touch' to the Indo-Pak ties led by two new prime ministers and extend an invitation to Modi for Pak visit for new diplomatic overtures.
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
Indeed. Already he's proved that his elections bravado was fallacy, and nothing more than just the desperate need of the hour. But nonetheless, it's still quite an amusing and assuring gesture on its own.
lol. That's not an Indian attitude, that's just post colonial subcontinental delusion for you. All subcontinent countries have the same attitude, hence there hasn't been any mutual collaborations in the region. :)
Judge his policy after another two months, when he calls Nawaz to visit exclusively, right now, Pakistan is clubbed with Bhutan in the swearing in ceremony.
Our attitude is just new, post 90s, after our economic success, before that it was delusion, now it is confidence on our future, which we know, and world can see, is brighter than anyother country in our sub-continent. :)
Fortunately you can afford to be haughty, though it may not be a pragmatic approach in international relations and politics. Pakistan needs a friendly neighborhood more than any other country in the region while India lays claim on regional hegemony. Pakistan does not have a problem with India's ambitions as long as it behaves gentlemanly with it. I would agree that it would be a ceremonial meeting. But Sharif would want to use the occasion to give a 'personal touch' to the Indo-Pak ties led by two new prime ministers and extend an invitation to Modi for Pak visit for new diplomatic overtures.
No powerful country behaves gentalmanly, they behave more manly :), that is try to have bigger danda over other enemy, our rise will have problem in the region. It is not fortunatley that we can be haughty, we worked for this for two decades and still working on it. And plainly, as our power grows we will behave less gentanmanly :)
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
, after our economic success,
And I have a bridge to sell... :) India is not a success in anything by any stretch.. I can provide some very credible links but I have no intention of circular arguments. The proof is in the pudding.
The living conditions speaks for themselves....
Oh, BTW.... The last score w.r.t. women and their rights guess who is is doing better than India...... SAUDIA ARABIA...
But this is not the thread or the forum, Please continue with Modi and its great policies.
Re: Should Nawaz Sharif attend Narendra Modi's inauguration as India's Prime Minister
No powerful country behaves gentalmanly, they behave more manly :), that is try to have bigger danda over other enemy, our rise will have problem in the region. It is not fortunatley that we can be haughty, we worked for this for two decades and still working on it. And plainly, as our power grows we will behave less gentanmanly :)
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India can do what you said. Power comes with pride and rightly so. But the question is how far a country can go to prove that it is powerful? Does it include razing to ground the entire neighbourhood or just standing tall in its own space? A powerful country does not have to be belligerent. If we understand the business of economy, we know that business and brinkmanship cannot coexist for long. But I will not want to agree with you that India will become savage as it grows stronger. Power not only comes with pride, but responsibility also. And if one does not act with responsibility, it is taught to do so.