Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Jama Masjid in the Walled City area on Tuesday.
And having spent half-an-hour in the sandstone mosque, he declared that he has come to India for “peace” and to build better ties between the two countries.
Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid who accompanied the Pakistan Prime Minister during his visit, quoted Sharif as saying that his (Sharif’s) desire was to build better ties between India and Pakistan.
“He (Sharif) told me that he has come to India with a message of peace and to build closer ties with India,” Bukhari told The Hindu . “I have come here with a message of peace,” the Shahi Imam quoted the Pakistan PM as saying.
During his visit, Mr. Sharif was accompanied by Sartaj Aziz, Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry.
“The Prime Minister said he felt as if he was in Pakistan because he felt there appeared to be no difference between this Jama Masjid and the Jama Masjid (he goes to) in Pakistan,” the Shahi Imam told The Hindu .
The Imam of the mosque said he urged Mr. Sharif to ease the visa norms between India and Pakistan.
“I told the Pakistan Prime Minister that once people come together, governments will come together too. The way the Indian Prime Minister invited him and he (Sharif) accepted it and from the discussion I had with him I can say that he has come here in good spirits,” the Shahi Imam added.
“He told me that it was his desire that relations between the two countries should improve and the bitterness and differences reduced. He said both India and Pakistan should move towards peace and happiness,” Imam Bukhari said.
