Sharif unhappy with India visit, wanted joint press meet with Modi: Report

Islamabad: Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif is “not too happy” with the way India handled his visit to New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, a media report claimed today quoting an unnamed leader of the ruling PML-N party. [caption id=“attachment_1559379” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif wanted a jointed press conference with Modi. Reuters[/caption] A senior PML-N member told Dawn News that Sharif felt belittled when there was no joint press conference after the one-on-one meeting between the two Prime Ministers. Short of that, Prime Minister Sharif’s delegation was expecting a joint communique, but none was issued and instead New Delhi unilaterally released a press statement which did not carry Islamabad’s stance, the report said. “Sharif is not too happy at his reception in India during his visit there to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi,” the report said citing his party colleague. India’s statement had only a passing reference to Sharif and did not appropriately acknowledge the importance of his presence, the PML-N member reportedly said. The “abrupt and inadequate” press release by New Delhi, he claimed, forced Sharif to hold a press conference of his own, where he read out a carefully-worded statement so that “whatever was achieved by the visit might not go waste.” The PML-N member said the Pakistan government was now pinning its hopes on secretary-level talks, agreed upon by Pakistan and India during Sharif’s visit, for some breakthrough in improving relations with India. PTI