Prime Minister Narendra Modi came face to face with Pakistan PM Imran Khan at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek on Thursday, but avoided any handshake or exchange of pleasantries.
Both the leaders present at the dinner in the Kyrgyzcapital, were sitting a few seats apart. According to a report in India TV,there was no exchange of pleasantries between the two of them even as theygreeted other world leaders at the multilateral engagement.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi metChinese President Xi Jinping and raised the issue of cross-border terrorismemanating from Pakistan. He underlined the need for Pakistan to take concreteaction in order to create an atmosphere free of terror for the resumption ofdialogue.
Imran Khan, in an interview to a Russian news agency today,said Pakistan’s relationship with India was probably at its “lowestpoint.” Khan said he hoped Modi will use his “big mandate” toresolve all differences, including the Kashmir issue. Before heading toBishkek, Khan had also said that the SCO summit provided Pakistan a “freshoutlet” to develop its relationship with other countries, including India.
Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs said that nobilateral meetings had been planned between Modi and Imran Khan on thesidelines of the SCO Summit.
Courtesy India TV