Sharif must attend Modi swearing-in: Foreign Office

The Pakistan Foreign Office has urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sha­rif to attend the oath taking ceremony of India's new Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday, the media reported Friday.

But the government is yet to take a decision on whether or not Sharif should travel to New Delhi, Dawn online reported.

"The Foreign Office has made the recommendation and the decision will most likely be in (its) favour," a foreign office official said.

The leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khurshid Ahmed Shah, also urged Sharif to accept the invitation in the larger interest of the people of the two countries.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said Thursday that the bitterness towards Pakistan shown during the election campaign in India would subside after the formation of a new government in New Delhi.

"We hope that when the new government takes over, the kind of atmosphere that prevailed during the election rallies will be left behind and we will get down to the business of statecraft," Aslam said.

Modi has invited leaders of SAARC countries to his oath taking ceremony.