Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper said in its editorial: “It was a delightful surprise on a special day. Much as Pakistan-India relations have the ability to disappoint and confound, they can occasionally spring a welcome surprise. The two states owe it to their people to work on normalising Pakistan-India relations.”
But beyond the hype, Dawn wondered if New Delhi has a well-thought out bilateral strategy for the long term. “Already there are voices — including, grimly, in the Congress itself — castigating Modi for his outreach to Pakistan. The Indian public, the media and national-security institutions, will all have to be brought aboard. The days ahead will reveal if Modi is serious about the business of peace,” it concludes.
The New Indian Express editorial said: “It’s a clear signal to the Pakistan Army that New Delhi has no hostile intentions, but as a stakeholder, would do its best for peace and prosperity. Asserting India’s interests and allaying apprehensions thus, Modi engaged his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in soft diplomacy.
“It’s perhaps a coincidence that Friday happened to be the birthday of [former Indian prime minister] Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the last Indian Premier to have visited Pakistan over a decade ago. There is no mistaking the fact that Modi is taking off from where Vajpayee had left off, albeit in his own way.”
While asserting that it is the Pakistan Army that runs the country’s foreign policy and there can be no peace without the Generals coming onboard, the editorial demured that, “Diplomatic engagement, international pressure and increased goodwill among people of the two countries might just force them to [come on board the discussions].”
The Times of India called Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Pakistan, “The closest thing to a Christmas miracle for India-Pakistan relations”.
Its editorial said: “Modi’s Lahore hop-over confirms he is personally invested in the India-Pakistan relationship. The surprise visit also highlights the fact that he wants to conduct substantive engagement away from limelight. This is a good idea as a traditional build-up to an Indian PM’s visit to Pakistan would have seen different interest groups bringing all kinds of pressure to bear on the two governments ... Modi’s visit might be considered a nice birthday surprise for Sharif. But he shouldn’t forget to, metaphorically speaking, wish happy birthday to the other Sharif as well — General Raheel Sharif, who commands the Pakistan Army and pulls the strings.”
On an associated note, the Guardian of London had this to say of Modi’s visit to Afghanistan: “India has reached out to the Afghan government, helping with institution-building and supplying military helicopters. The two countries have signed a strategic partnership agreement. Modi visited Afghanistan and Pakistan last week.
“Now this proud nationalist has a golden chance to show that where the old western powers failed, the “new India” can succeed.”
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