The Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met on Friday with President of Indian National Congress (INC) Sonia Gandhi here. The two daughters of former PPP head Benazir Bhutto - Bakhtawar and Asifa, PPP Secretary General Jahangir Badar and the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik were also present at the meeting.
Accompanying Sonia Gandhi were Rahul Gandhi, her son and the General Secretary of INC and her daughter Priyanka Vadara. Later, talking to APP Rehman Malik said that it was a "friendly meeting held in a good atmosphere and that both sides were very happy to meet each other."
He added, "such kind of meetings can help create friendly atmosphere between the two countries." The official also said that the meeting was a good sign from both sides and that the PPP supported holding such meetings in future.
Malik made it clear that there was no political discussion, but that the discussions centred on family affairs, remembering the tragic death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. He said that there were similarities between the two sides, as they both lost leaders. He said that during the meeting, Gandhi also recalled her meetings with Bhutto. Malik said that Bhutto had planned to meet Gandhi, but her death prevented the meeting from taking place.