New Delhi: In a major diplomatic signal to the region as well as to the global community, Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, has invited heads of all the SAARC countries, including Pakistan, for his oath-taking ceremony on May 26.
“The letters were sent this afternoon. Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh wrote to her SAARC counterparts inviting their leaders to the swearing in on Monday,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
Akbaruddin said in a statement later that the ministry has been holding “informal consultations” with SAARC members in the matter and hoped to have their responses in the next couple of days. “This is for us a first of sorts because this is the first time that India has invited all SAARC members to attend a swearing in ceremony of the prime minister.”
SAARC comprises, besides India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and Afghanistan.
However, all eyes are on Pakistan to see if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will accept the unexpected invitation. Asked if Sharif would attend the ceremony, Pakistani diplomatic sources said the invite had been received, but could not say as yet if their prime minister would be attending. IANS
