Damage control diplomacy: After bitter episode, Nawaz Sharif sends 'sweet' mangoes for PM Modi

New Delhi/Islamabad, September 5: After sending a white saree for his mother, embattled Pakistani PM

on Wednesday sent a box of choicest Pakistani mangoes, to his Indian counterpart

.

Besides Modi, the sweet Pakistani mangoes were also sent for President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Sharif's diplomatic move to send a box of mangoes, that is undoubtedly the favourite fruit of many people, is widely seen as a gesture to tone down the recent bitterness caused due to the stalled foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan.

As per a report published in TOI, the mangoes, which were sent to PM Modi on Wednesday evening, are said to be the personal favourites of Sharif (Sindhri and Chausa varieties).

In a damage control mode, Sharif has made an attempt to send mangoes as a 'sweet starter' ahead of his expected meeting with PM Modi, later this month in New York, on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Modi's response will tell whether Sharif's mango diplomacy will work or not.

The Indian government is yet to send its response or 'return gift' for Sharif's mangoes outreach.

In May, when Pak PM Nawaz Sharif was invited to attend Modi's oath-taking ceremony, then Modi had gifted a shawl for his mother and in return, Sharif had sent a white saree for Modi's mother from Islamabad.

Last month, the hostilities grew between India-Pak ties when the Pak's envoy to India, Abdul Basit met Kashmiri separatists ahead of foreign secretary talks between the two nations, following which the Modi government had cancelled the talks, in a stern move.

Besides, the increased incidents of ceasefire violations across the Line of Control (LoC), is also one of the thorny issues between India and Pakistan, that is yet to be resolved.

On the home-ground level, Pak PM Mawaz Sharif-led PML(N) government is at the verge of collapse due to the aggressive revolution launched by the Pak-cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan's PTI and his massive followers.

So, when Sharif's government in Pakistan is going through turbulent times, he is attempting to mend ties in a sweet way with India.

OneIndia News