New Delhi, Dec 25

The Indian Youth Congress on Friday protested against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Lahore to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

Hundreds of Youth Congress workers were stopped by police as they were marching towards the PMO from the group' headquarters.

"Terrorists are killing our soldiers on the border and Narendra Modi is celebrating Pakistan PM's birthday. This kind of surprise visit is a clear example of Modi's directionless foreign policy. People of India will never forgive Modi for this shameful act," said Youth Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja. 

Goodwill gesture on part of Modi: Pakistan government

The Pakistan government on Friday described as a “goodwill gesture” Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Lahore where he met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.

“It was a goodwill gesture on the part of the Indian prime minister,” Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry told the media.

“Prime Minister Sharif has welcomed this,” he added.

On his way back to New Delhi from Kabul, Modi made a sudden stopover in Lahore where he greeted Sharif on his birthday and took part in the wedding celebrations of the latter's granddaughter.

After blessing the bride during the 90-minute visit to Sharif's ancestral home at Raiwind, 40 km from here, Modi later flew to New Delhi.

Chaudhury said that both the leaders agreed to carry forward the peace process and broaden bilateral contacts.

“Both the leaders decided to continue the dialogue in the greater interest of people of the two nations,” he said.

Congress criticises Modi's Pakistan visit

The Congress party on Friday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan, saying diplomacy cannot be fun and games but needs seriousness and maturity.

"Relation between India and Pakistan is important. Diplomacy needs seriousness and maturity, it's not a fun," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters here at a press conference.

Sharma rejected External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's claim that Modi's gesture was statesman like.

"I reject completely Sushma Swaraj's claim that this is statesman like," he said.

Sharma also claimed that Modi's Pakistan visit was pre-arranged and not a spontaneous decision.

"We think it was pre-arranged and not a spontaneous decision. An industrialist, who has a private business with ruling establishment in Pakistan is there already; so how is the PM visit spontaneous?," Sharma wondered.

AAP questions Modi's Pakistan visit

The AAP on Friday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sudden visit to Lahore, asking what prompted the step when the BJP consistently opposed talks with Pakistan.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Ashutosh said: "It's BJP/Modi who ha(ve) been opposing talks with Pakistan during the time of (former prime minister) Manmohan Singh under the pretext of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. What has changed now?

"We have always been saying (that) engagement with Pakistan is needed but BJP was opposing. Now they should explain - why so much friendship?" he said in tweets.

He asked whether Pakistan-backed terrorism had stopped as Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had now become a likeable figure to Modi.

Modi flew into Lahore on Friday and met Sharif while returning home from Kabul. He also wished Sharif on his birthday. Friday also marks the 139th birth anniversary of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.