India's ruling BJP hails Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan as a "path-breaking" move to solve the disputes between the two South Asian rivals.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav told the media that the two neighbors needed to inject informality in their relations.

"PM Modi's sudden stopover at Lahore to greet Pakiatan PM Nawaz Sharif is a much needed departure from protocol-driven politics between the two countries. Like leaders of other nations in the world like the EU, ASEAN and even countries in our neighborhood, leaders of India and Pakistan too needed to inject informality in their relations," he said.

BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said if the two countries can try to have a positive approach and work out a relationship that brings peace not only between them but to the entire region, "then that is something that should be welcomed."

Modi made the surprise visit to Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, on his way back home from Afghanistan. He met with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif during the brief visit.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress criticized Modi for making the visit without making any consultations at home, saying such a move could jeopardize India's security.

While many regarded the visit as a surprise, there have been signs of improvement in bilateral relations between India and Pakistan over the past few weeks, with both sides agreeing to resume a comprehensive dialogue aimed at dealing with a whole range of issues from terrorism to Kashmir. Endit