Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is keen to come for Narendra Modi's swearing in ceremony on Monday but is weighing all options, sources told NDTV today.
Mr Modi will take the oath as Prime Minister after his BJP scored a landslide victory, securing the first majority by a single party in 30 years.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Afghan president Hamid Karzai are among seven world leaders who have confirmed that they will attend the oath ceremony.
Invitations were sent to all heads of government from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Foreign ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said Mr Modi will hold individual meetings with the leaders the day after his inauguration.
Top sources in Pakistan say Mr Sharif may be under pressure from hardliners in the Pakistan security establishment to decline. If he doesn't come, Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz is likely to represent the country.
Mr Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif could also be a representative. She today seemed to be in favor of this trip, tweeting "I personally think cordial relations with new Indian govt should be cultivated. Will help remove psychological barriers, fear & misgivings. (sic)"
Mr Sharif's media advisor Tariq Azim said Mr Modi's invitation was a "bold and an unexpected" move. "Mr Sharif does not share the anxiety that is felt by some quarters here in Pakistan because he has got some very fond memories of the previous BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee coming to Lahore and he hopes that this anxiety about Modi and his past will fade away," Mr Azim told NDTV.
But Mr Sharif's dovish stance is reportedly not shared by Pakistan's army, which has recently made tough statements on the Kashmir dispute. Army chief Raheel Sharif had recently described Kashmir as the "jugular vein" of Pakistan.
After his own election last year, Mr Sharif's administration had suggested that the Indian PM be invited to attend his inauguration ceremony, but Manmohan Singh had declined.
Mr Modi's move signals a big shift in his party, the BJP's position on Pakistan. While campaigning for the general election, Mr Modi attacked the Congress-led UPA government for what he called a "stagnated" and "weak" foreign policy....!!!!
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