New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his first day at work by meeting all the eight SAARC leaders on Tuesday. Modi started with meeting Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and ended the day of bilateral talks with meeting Bangladesh Parliament Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury.
The key meeting of them all was Modi's meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, which was delayed by 20 minutes as the latter visited Jama Masjid and Red Fort. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was also present at the meeting.
Sources say that in the meeting that lasted for 40 minutes, India conveyed its concerns on terrorism strongly to Pakistan. All issues of security including Hafiz Saeed and Dawood Ibrahim figured in the talks, sources say.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to his counterpart Nawaz Sharif that Pakistan must ensure speedy trial in 26/11 Mumbai attack case and act on terrorists," Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh later said. She also added that India was looking to open up the Wagah-Attari border for full trade. "We want peaceful and friendly relations with Pakistan, but to proceed further, terror and violence should be brought under control," she said.
Even though no joint statement by the two leaders is expected, Sharif is likely to address the media soon.
Earlier on Monday, Modi shared an excerpt of the conversation he had with Sharif on Twitter. Modi tweeted saying that the visuals of him meeting his mother Hiraben had left Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz and his mother emotional. Modi said that Sharif told him that he visits his mother once a week in Islamabad.
Sharif's son Hussain had on Tuesday said, "After Nawaz Sharif's departure to Hyderabad House, I'm very hopeful of the outcome. And everyone should be optimistic about the future of Indo-Pakistan relationship."
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