Qingdao SCO Summit: PM Modi shakes hands with Pak president, praises Afghan leader's bold initiatives towards peace

Amid frosty bilateral relationship, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain on Sunday exchanged pleasantries after a press conference by the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Qingdao, China.

The two leaders shook hands and exchanged pleasantries at the end of the media briefing which was addressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. China is the host and chair of the SCO.

Modi and Hussain were among the leaders who attended the media briefing after the culmination of the 18th SCO summit where India and Pakistan for the first time participated as full-fledged members.

The relations between India and Pakistan had strained after an attack on an army camp in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan-based terror organisations in 2016.

The ties took a severe hit post-sentencing of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a military court in April last year.

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Modi held nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries. However, there was no bilateral meeting between Modi and Hussain.

In his address at the summit, Modi, while referring to the situation in Afghanistan, talked about the challenge of terrorism and its effects.

Referring to a ceasefire announced by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani, Modi praised his bold initiatives towards peace and expressed hope that it will be respected by all parties.

During his address, President Hussain exuded confidence that the upcoming general elections in his country will further bolster economic stability in Pakistan.

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He said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, has boosted Pakistan's economy.

India has been strongly opposing the CPEC as it goes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.