Modi is unpredictable, says advisor to Sharif

Unlike Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is unpredictable, says an advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Sartaj Aziz, the Pakistani advisor on foreign policy and national security, said in comments published Thursday that Modi "is unpredictable compared to Vajpayee".

This is because of Modi's occasional "anti-Muslim image and anti-Pakistan rhetoric", The Nation quoted Aziz as saying.

The newspaper quoted Pakistani leaders and observers here as scotching fears that India's ties with Pakistan could worsen if Modi were to become the prime minister.

"In Pakistani political circles, the relatively optimistic outlook on Modi's possible rise to power is rooted in history," it said.

Many Pakistanis cite the example of Vajpayee who undertook a historic bus journey to Lahore in 1999 to promote peace with Pakistan.

Aziz, however, felt that "pre-election rhetoric is a different thing". He added: "I think the peace constituency in both the countries is strong."