Pak PM Nawaz Sharif to attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will attend Narendra Modi's swearing-in on Monday, his party's spokesperson has confirmed.

"On the invitation of Prime Minister designate, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will make a day long visit to New Delhi," PML-N Spokesperson Siddiq Al Farooq said today.

Modi will take the oath as Prime Minister of India at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 6 pm on Monday. His party, the BJP, scored a landslide victory in the general election, securing the first majority by a single party in 30 years. 

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Afghan president Hamid Karzai are among other leaders who have confirmed that they will attend the oath ceremony. Invitations were sent to all heads of government from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Foreign ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin had said yesterday that Modi would hold individual meetings with the leaders the day after his oath-taking. But sources in the Pakistan government say the two leaders could meet on the sidelines of the oath ceremony.

Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif yesterday seemed to be in favor of the trip. "I personally think cordial relations with new Indian govt should be cultivated. Will help remove psychological barriers, fear & misgivings. (sic)," she tweeted. 

Sharif's media advisor Tariq Azim had earlier told NDTV that Modi's invitation was a "bold and an unexpected" move. " Sharif does not share the anxiety that is felt by some quarters here in Pakistan because he has got some very fond memories of the previous BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee coming to Lahore and he hopes that this anxiety about Modi and his past will fade away," Azim told NDTV. 

After his own election last year, Sharif's administration had suggested that the Indian PM be invited to attend his inauguration ceremony, but Manmohan Singh had declined.

Modi's move signals a big shift in his party, the BJP's position on Pakistan. While campaigning for the general election, Modi attacked the Congress-led UPA government for what he called a "stagnated" and "weak" foreign policy.