NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise stopover in Pakistan on Friday to meet his counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, the first time an Indian premier has visited the rival nation in over a decade.
Sharif hugged Modi after he landed at the airport in the eastern city of Lahore, state television showed. A spokesman at the Pakistani prime minister's office told Reuters the two leaders would discuss a range of bilateral issues, including the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Modi was on his way home after a visit to Russia. He stopped off in the Afghanistan capital Kabul earlier on Friday.
Modi and Sharif resumed high-level contacts with a brief conversation at climate change talks in Paris late last month, part of efforts to restart a peace dialogue plagued by militant attacks and long-standing distrust between the nuclear-armed rivals.
Early on Friday, Narendra Modi announced he would pay his first visit to Pakistan Friday and meet his counterpart Nawaz Sharif in Lahore.
"Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi," Modi said on Twitter.
Looking forward to meeting PM Nawaz Sharif in Lahore today afternoon, where I will drop by on my way back to Delhi. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 25, 2015
The Indian prime minister made the surprise announcement as he wound up his visit to Afghanistan with an address to the Afghan parliament.
Pakistan confirms surprise visit by Indian PM
Pakistan on Friday confirmed a surprise visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the eastern city of Lahore where he would meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.
"I can confirm that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is arriving in Lahore," Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Qazi Khalilullah told state television.
Lahore: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is greeted by his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his arrival in Lahore on Friday. PTI / Twitter
"The details of the meeting are being worked out," he added.
Modi and Sharif have had a stop-start diplomatic relationship since the Indian premier's surprise invite to Sharif for his inauguration last May.
Swaraj on Modi visit
Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj confirmed the meeting between the two leaders. "That's like a statesman," Swaraj said on Twitter. "One should have such relations with the neighbours," she added.
Modi and Sharif have had a stop-start diplomatic relationship since the Indian premier's surprise invite to Sharif for his inauguration last May.
Both countries' governments have frequently disputed each other's claims on contentious issues such as terrorism, the disputed territory of Kashmir and the pace of the trial in the Mumbai terror attacks case.
Earlier Friday, in his speech to the Afghan parliament, Modi urged closer cooperation between India, Pakistan and other neighbours for Afghanistan's progress.
"We know that Afghanistan's success will require the cooperation and support of each of its neighbours. And, all of us in the region - India, Pakistan, Iran and others - must unite ... behind this common purpose," Modi said.
Modi also made a veiled reference to Pakistan on the issue of cross border terrorism in Afghanistan.
"Afghanistan will succeed only when terrorism no longer flows across the border; when nurseries and sanctuaries of terrorism are shut; and, their patrons are no longer in business," Modi said.
