This refers to the editorial, “An act of a statesman” (December 28). Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unscheduled stopover in lahore to greet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday, has surprised many. The Modi-Sharif meeting has been hailed by the UN Secretary General, the US, China and the Pakistani media and the Government. Indeed, Mr Modi has taken a bold step. It requires immense courage and conviction to take such a decision to land in Pakistan, that too in an unscheduled manner.
However, back home, critics and suspects have reacted in their usual manner. The Congress showed its bankruptcy by alleging that the Prime Minister’s visit to Pakistan was not in the nation’s interest or to take forward the roadmap to engage with Pakistan on tackling terror, but to promote private business interests. There is no doubt that warm personal relations between the two Prime Ministers will have far-reaching impact and will hasten the peace process between both the countries.