No meeting between Modi and Sharif in Kathmandu: Pakistan

Kathmandu, Nov 25: Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif won't meet on the sidelines of the Saarc Summit here, a senior Pakistani official said on Tuesday.

Sartaj Aziz, advisor to Sharif on national security and foreign affairs, told the media on his arrival in Kathmandu that there were no plans for a Modi-Sharif bilateral, Geo TV reported.

But he added that such a meeting could be held if Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made a request.

Azia said it was up to India to have "informal talks" with Pakistan.

Earlier, media reports said that the two premiers may interact on the sidelines of the SAARC Summit.

As part of a tradition, the heads of states and governments attending the SAARC Summit are taken for a retreat after the inauguration of the conference in order to create a conducive environment for bilateral meetings.

Sharif will meet leaders of SAARC countries on the sidelines to discuss issues of bilateral and regional interest, the Foreign Office said on Sunday.

However, it did not say whether Nawaz's bilateral engagements also included a meeting with Modi. When contacted, a senior foreign ministry official said that Pakistan had not yet received any request for such a meeting from the Indian side.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agency)