Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit met NSA Ajit Doval before PM Modi-Sharif meet

NEW DELHI: The brief tête-à-tête between Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif in Paris last Monday may not have been a chance meeting – it appears that the grounds for the chat were laid about a fortnight ago, when Pakistani High Commissioner Abdul Basit met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval here. Basit and Doval are understood to have explored the possibility of a meeting between the two prime ministers in the French capital, the venue of the climate conference.

While details of the threeminute meeting in Paris are not known, the leaders are understood to have discussed the possibility of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj travelling to Islamabad for the Heart of Asia conference on December 8 and 9. If Swaraj goes, she will be the first minister from India to visit Pakistan since Modi came to power.

However, a formal decision is yet to be taken on this, even as Pakistan hopes for a result-oriented dialogue in the future on all issues. Sources said that dates in the minister’s calendar have been blocked for the Heart of Asia conference, although a final decision is awaited. The Heart of Asia conference – aimed at bringing peace and prosperity in Afghanistan – will focus on ‘Countering Security Threats and Promoting Economic Connectivity.’ Swaraj would also be able to meet the Pakistani leadership, if she attends.

Although there may not be a structured dialogue, all issues could be discussed and the outcome of her visit – should it take place – will be watched keenly. The proposed visit could lead to rescheduling of the NSA-level dialogue. “We are waiting on how to move forward after the meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Paris,” Radio Pakistan quoted Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah as saying at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Thursday.

When the invitation for the 27-nation conference was delivered to India almost a month ago, it was decided that a high-level delegation would attend the meeting, which India is scheduled to host next year.