PM Nawaz met Jindal in ‘personal capacity’: Marriyum Aurangzeb

KARACHI: Minister of State for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb has categorically stated that the Indian businessman and entrepreneur Sajjan Jindal`s meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was in ‘personal capacity’ and has nothing to do with any backchannel diplomacy with India.

Speaking in Geo News show, Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, the minister reiterated that PM Nawaz and Jindal`s meeting was a meetup between two old friends.

“It is wrong to give it a colour of backchannel diplomacy,” she said. “PM Nawaz has never done backchannel diplomacy and if in case if he ever does, he will do it after taking people of Pakistan in confidence (sic).”

The minister also said that the meeting was not secretive and lamented that the meeting is being reported inaccurately.  

Earlier, Indian businessman and entrepreneur Sajjan Jindal made an unannounced visit to Pakistan and met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Jindal, who is also said to be accompanied by other businessmen, met PM Nawaz Sharif for a personal meeting in Murree, where PM Nawaz Sharif had gone recently for a private trip.

According to the sources, the participants discussed the relationship between the two countries during the meeting.

Jindal and PM Nawaz Sharif know each other on a personal level.

Earlier the two had also met during the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation' (SAARC) conference in Kathmandu.

The meeting could be a part of track II diplomacy, the sources added.

Confirming the news, Nawaz Sharif’s daughter tweeted: “Mr. Jindal is an old friend of the Prime Minister. Nothing 'secret' about the meeting & should not be blown out of proportion. Thank you.”