Sharif, Modi finally shake hands

At the Saarc retreat hosted by Nepalese Prime Minister Shushil Koirala in Dhulikhel for all heads of state and government of the 8- nation group on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif finally exchanged pleasantries. Koirala apparently played the role of a mediator between Indian and Pakistani prime ministers, reports ‘The Himalayan’ quoting a Summit sources. It was being widely reported that Koirala eased the much strong tension between Modi and Sharif and his attempts resulted in Modi and Sharif shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. However, it is said that the exchange took place more as a formality as both Modi and Sharif did not want to dismiss the effort Koirala was making. At the Summit inauguration on Wednesday, the 2 leaders had apparently refrained from meeting each other. While Sharif was returning from the podium after his address, Modi was seen looking on a magazine. Modi, however, had invited Sharif along with all leaders from the Saarc nations at his inauguration on May 26 this year. It was reported that Modi had gifted a shawl to Sharif’s mother then. The Pakistani Prime Minister, in return, had gifted Modi’s mother a sari in the week that followed, according to a news agency.