Will Nawaz Sharif Attend Narendra Modi's Swearing-in? Decision Today

New Delhi: Pakistan has said it will announce today whether its Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will attend Narendra Modi's oath-taking ceremony as Prime Minister of India on Monday, May 26.

"He can also nominate someone to represent him. That doesn't violate protocol," a Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during a media briefing.

In its first official response on Wednesday, Pakistan hailed Mr Modi's invitation to South Asian leaders, including its prime minister, as a "bold move."

"The invitation is a bold and an unexpected move. Mr Sharif does not share the anxiety that is felt by some quarters here in Pakistan because he has got some very fond memories of the previous BJP Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee coming to Lahore and he hopes that this anxiety about Modi and his past will fade away," Tariq Azim, media advisor to Mr Sharif's party, told NDTV. (Watch: Sharif Has No Anxieties About Modi', Says His Media Advisor)

Sources in Pakistan have suggested that there is the possibility that Mr Sharif might attend the ceremony on Monday.

After his own election last year, Mr Sharif's administration had suggested that the Indian PM be invited to attend his inauguration ceremony, but Dr Manmohan Singh had declined.   (Will be happy to invite Manmohan Singh to swearing-in: Nawaz Sharif)

Mr Modi's invitation to leaders of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) is being seen as a bold step to embark on a policy of regional engagement.  Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai has confirmed he will attend as has Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Maldives President Abdulla Yameen could attend too, say sources. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is traveling to Japan but she is likely to send the country's Speaker.

Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, tipped to be an important minister in the Modi cabinet said, "This is to signal to our neighbours that the new government wants direct and peaceful relations.

Mr Modi's move signals a big shift in his party, the BJP's position on Pakistan.  While campaigning for the general election, Mr Modi attacked the Congress-led UPA government for what he called a "stagnated" and "weak" foreign policy.

But the BJP's southern ally MDMK's Vaiko has opposed the participation of the Sri Lanka President. The MDMK and many other Tamil political parties allege that human rights violations against Tamils and civilian casualties in Lanka peaked during the last leg of the war against LTTE with Mr Rajapaksa in charge. (BJP's Tamil Nadu Ally MDMK Opposes Lankan President's Presence at Modi Swearing-In)