Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to attend Modi inauguration

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Official image of Nawaz Sharif in 2013.
Image: Z A Balti.

File:Narendra Damodardas Modi (cropped).jpg

Official image of Narendra Modi in 2013 (cropped).
Image: Narendra Modi.
(Image missing from Commons: image; log)


Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has today announced he will attend Monday's swearing-in ceremony of India's next Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. In the history of India-Pakistan bilateral relations, the leader of one country has not visited the swearing-in ceremony of a leader of the other since 1947, when the two countries became independent.

"It is good news that [Sharif] is visiting India", said Raashid Alvi, the Indian opposition party Indian National Congress leader; "It is an opportunity to hold meeting with him and important issues should be raised." Prakash Javadekar, spokesperson for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, said, "It is very good news that Nawaz Sharif has accepted Modi's invitation. This will mark a start of a new relationship between India and Pakistan".

The swearing-in ceremony is to be held on May 26 at the Presidential Palace Rashtrapati Bhavan with possibly 3000 guests expected in attendance.


Sources