Rajnath Singh may visit Pakistan for Saarc meet

Union home minister Rajnath Singh may travel to Pakistan in August to attend the Saarc Interior/Home Ministers’ Conference. Asked whether the home minister will travel to Pakistan for the conference, ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Vikas Swarup said the issue was “under consideration”. However, any confirmation will come from the ministry of home affairs, he said.

If the visit takes place, it will mark the first important high-level visit from the Indian side this year after trips there by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in December last year. Much of the goodwill generated had evaporated following the Pathankot terror attack by Pakistani terrorists in January. It also remains to be seen whether Mr Modi, who had made a brief visit to Lahore in December last year, will visit Pakistan in November for the Saarc summit.

During the possible visit, apart from attending the Saarc meet, Mr Rajnath Singh is likely to have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from other Saarc countries, including Pakistan interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.