Despite recent tension, PM likely to meet Nawaz Sharif in New York

As reported by NDTV, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to go ahead with a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York next month, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Government sources have told NDTV that preparations for the meeting are under way, and a room has been booked at a prominent New York hotel for it. The meeting is likely to take place before noon on September 29, they said. 

Reports say back channel talks are on between the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Pakistan SK Lambah and ex Pakistan Foreign Secretary Shahryar Khan, who serves as envoy for Nawaz Sharif. The two are reportedly meeting to lay the groundwork for the New York visit. 

There has been much uncertainty about whether the two leaders would meet, after five Indian soldiers were killed in Kashmir along the Line of Control or LoC in an attack linked to the Pakistani army. 

After that incident and a series of ceasefire violations at the LoC, the main opposition party, the BJP, had urged the Prime Minister not to hold talks with Mr Sharif unless Pakistan demonstrates some commitment to ending attacks in India. 

Last week, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said he “agreed with the BJP, talks and terror don’t go together”.

And in Parliament, Defence Minister AK Antony had warned Pakistan that its actions would have consequences on ties.

Pakistan has denied any role in the death of the five soldiers at Poonch. Since then, the parliaments of both countries have passed resolutions condemning each other.