Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to his country. Banerjee who received outgoing Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir at her Nabanna office earlier on Monday later wrote on the Facebook about the invite extended to her by Sharief.
Bashir had “conveyed to me the invitation of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to visit their country at a convenient time” Banerjee wrote on the Facebook post adding how India’s northern neighbour was interested in increasing cultural and other ties with the this country.
The two sides met at Banerjee’s Nabanna office for little more than an hour after which a smiling Bashir said they had a “cordial exchange.” Banerjee reportedly told Bashir who called on her along with his wife and two other delegates from the High Commission about her willingness to visit Pakistan “as I have never been there.” And “I welcomed her” the Pak envoy said.
Hailing Banerjee at a press conference later Bashir said the Chief Minister deserved praise for “her wonderful job in transforming the lives of people of the State” adding he was “touched and impressed by her commitment for better bilateral ties” as also for “receiving me very warmly.”
Government sources also said after the meeting that Pakistan was keen on increasing business ties with the eastern and north-eastern part of India. The Chief Minister wrote the “delegation has expressed interest in cultural and other exchange programme in social sector with West Bengal.”
Incidentally Bashir told the media conference that changes in regimes do not matter in ties between nations when asked to comment on the recent change of guard in Pakistan would affect Indo-Pak relations.
“I don’t think that regime change really matters,” he said hoping “people of India are desirous to see better relations with Pakistan in their own interests.”