Modi, Sharif to meet in Russia on July 10; Kashmir to be in focus

It is confirmed. With Kashmir in mind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif will be meeting on July 10, on the sidelines of the 15th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Ufa, Russia.

This will be first bilateral meeting between both the leaders after they met last year in May, when Sharif had attended Prime Minister Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. They did meet and even had a cursory ‘handshake’ during the last South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit at Kathmandu in November.

The meeting between the prime ministers was “tentatively decided” during the visit of Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to Islamabad as part of the Saarc Yatra in March. Both sides had discussed all issues then, including the Kashmir dispute.

Modi had apparently phoned Sharif to convey  Ramzan wishes and it is believed the meeting was confirmed during the phone call. Modi had also informed Sharif about the release of Pakistani fishermen.

“The meeting is happening on July 10 and all issues related to bilateral importance will be discussed,” a senior official told Business Standard.

PM is expected to take up issue of the release of 26/11 terrorist attack accused Zaki-ur Rahman Lakhvi, who was released by Pakistani authorities recently. Besides, PM might also take up the recent incidents of ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC), sources confirmed.

Sharif, on his part, is expected to raise the issue of an early resolution to the Kashmir dispute. The Pakistani PM will be leading a delegation there.

"The Prime Minister will also hold important bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO Summit," stated a release by the ministry of foreign affairs of Pakistan.

Incidentally, as reports of the much-awaited meetings started to trickle in, incidents of ceasefire violation started emerging from the LoC in the Jammu and Kashmir area.

Apart from the SCO Summit, PM Modi will also be attending the 7th BRICS Summit in Ufa.

The meeting comes in the backdrop of recent verbal duel between both countries over Indian army's operations in Myanmar. Modi had also used strong words against Pakistan during his recent visit to Bangladesh.