Nawaz Sharif seeks to sweeten India-Pakistan ties with mangoes to Modi

Free Karma

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Nawaz Sharif seeks to sweeten India-Pakistan ties with mangoes to Narendra Modi - The Times of India
The mango season may be on its last leg in India but in Pakistan the fruit is still sweet enough to temper the bitterness in ties between India and Pakistan.

After the recent acrimony over Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit's meeting with separatists, which forced India to cancel the foreign secretary-level dialogue, PM Nawaz Sharif has made an attempt to reach out to his counterpart Narendra Modi. Sharif, according to top sources, sent a box of choicest Pakistani mangoes — mostly Sindhri and Chausa — to Modi.

It is learnt that the mangoes, all personal favourites of Sharif, were delivered to Modi through "official channels" on Wednesday evening. Sharif's mango diplomacy, according to diplomatic sources, not just seeks to undo the damage to ties caused by the cancellation of talks but is also meant to act as a feeler from Islamabad that Pakistan is looking forward to a Sharif-Modi meet later this month in New York on the sidelines of UNGA.

Pakistan has so far not made a formal proposal for New York and is likely to wait for a response from the government to Sharif's mango outreach. Despite Modi's "proxy war" remarks against Pakistan, Sharif has avoided any confrontational exchange with India with his foreign office reiterating that Pakistan wants an improvement in relations with India. Sharif himself has been besieged for the past several weeks by thousands of anti-government protesters seeking his ouster under the leadership of Canada based cleric Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan.

Apart from Modi, Sharif sent mangoes also to President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and foreign minister Sushma Swaraj. "The message seems to be one of sweetness as symbolized by the mangoes but we'll have to wait a little longer to see what lies on the road ahead," said a source aware of the development.

Islamabad saw a hint of encouragement last week when India agreed to give visas to hundreds of leading members of Pakistan business community to facilitate Aalishan Pakistan, a mega lifestyle exhibition being held here by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP). While India cleared visas saying this was not a "war-like" situation with Pakistan, the event has still run into some opposition from Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Close to 700 business leaders from Pakistan are expected to attend the event which will showcase finest export products from the country.

Sharif's gesture is significant also because it suggests that the Pakistan PM is confident the storm in Islamabad will blow over without any serious consequence for him. With the formidable Pakistan army refraining from moving in, Sharif has managed to dig in his heels despite demands by Qadri and Khan for his exit. He has also been helped by several other political parties who have rallied behind him saying the protesters are targeting not just the government but all democratic forces in the country.

Sharif, it seems, is now preparing for another bout of diplomacy with India. He will hope that mangoes will succeed where saree, letters and Manmohan Singh's biryani failed.
What should our response be?
Seems like a signal saying he is in control now (debatable imo), and we can restart peace talks. But at the same time, even yesterday there was a gun battle in Kashmir and 3 terrorists were killed.
 

sob

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Re: Nawaz Sharif seeks to sweeten India-Pakistan ties with mangoes to

this push and pull will continue. We have to be ready for it with our own firm response.

We have to keep on dangling the development carrot to Pakistan. They have to see for themselves the benefits of co-operating with the regional giant.
 

Blackwater

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Re: Nawaz Sharif seeks to sweeten India-Pakistan ties with mangoes to

We should support noora league , if imran comes in power,Pakistan will be normal and we don't want that ,let support nawaz in sucking pakistani blood
 

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