Sharif resorts to `mango diplomacy` amid cross-border shelling

Karachi, July 23 (ANI): Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reportedly sent mangoes to Indian leaders, in a bid to promote goodwill between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the gift last week, along with President Pranab Mukherjee, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, reported the Dawn.

‘Mango diplomacy’ has long been a tradition between India and Pakistan, with Pakistani prime ministers sending the fruits as a gift of goodwill to their Indian counterparts every year.

This year, however, the timing of the delivery coincided with cross-border shelling along the Line of Control ( LoC) and Working Boundary ( WB).

Pakistan’s Foreign Office summoned Indian High Commissioner T.C.A. Raghavan to protest against the incidents and lodged a complaint with the United Nations last week.

Pakistani army also refused to accept sweets delivered by the Indian side on Eid this year, in light of the recent incidents of ceasefire violations. (ANI)