Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Indian capital New Delhi on Monday morning.

New Delhi, May 26/Nationalturk – Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Indian capital New Delhi on Monday morning to attend the swearing-in ceremony of India’s designate premier Narendra Modi.

64-year-old Sharif was accompanied by his Adviser on National Security and Foreign Policy Sartaj Aziz, Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, Principal Secretary Javed Aslam, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry. His wife Kulsum Nawaz and son Hussain Nawaz were also accompanying Nawaz on his first trip to India as prime minister of Pakistan.

He will be attending the oath taking ceremony of Indian PM designate Narendra Modi, whose rightwing Hindu party BJP recently won Indian general elections.  This is the first time that a leader from either country is attending counterpart’s swearing-in ceremony since India and Pakistan became independent countries in 1947.

‘Negotiations only solution to resolve problems’

Talking to media persons before leaving for India at Lahore airport, Nawaz said  better relations with India were top priority of his government. “Negotiations were the only solution to the problems between the two countries. I am carrying a message of peace.”

Pakistan PM will hold bilateral talks with Indian PM  in the morning on May 27. He will also meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee before flying back to Pakistan.

A day before his arrival in India, Sharif had ordered release of 151 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture.

Arch rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars since 1947 and bilateral ties broke down after 2008 attacks on Indian financial capital Mumbai by alleged Pakistani gunmen in which 166 people were killed.

Modi will be sworn-in as the 15th prime minister of India by President Mukherjee this evening. About 3000 invitees including many South Asian leaders would attend the oath-taking ceremony.

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