Indian diplomatic sources have told The Hindu no response was expected until the weekend from Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to New Delhi’s invitation for him to attend Narendra Modi’s swearing-in.
Mr. Sharif, the sources said, remained locked in consultations through Friday with key aides, as well as Pakistan’s military, on taking a call, amidst rising tensions in the wake of >the attack on India’s consulate in Herat .
Mr. Sharif’s office, the sources said, suggested early on Friday that his visit for the swearing-in be part of three-day visit, which would include meetings with Kashmiri secessionist leaders as well as a media interaction.
These ideas, the sources said, had not found favour in New Delhi, though it was unclear if they had been officially rejected.
Mr. Sharif, sources close to his party told The Hindu , was also concerned over issues Mr. Modi might raise during his visit, and was consulting advisors on how to respond to them should the visit go ahead.
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai, Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maldives’ President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Lyonchen Tshering Tobgay and Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushil Koirala have so far confirmed their acceptance, along with Mauritius President Navinchandra Ramgoolam.
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister will be on a pre-scheduled visit to Japan, but will be represented by the Parliament’s speaker, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
