The Indian premier tweeted to wish Pakistanis on March 23.
Modi had made a surprise stopover in Pakistan on December 25 to meet his counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, the first time an Indian premier has visited the rival nation in over a decade.
The visit, requested by Modi just hours earlier before he flew back home from Afghanistan.
Greetings to the people of Pakistan on their National Day.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 23, 2016
Sharif hugged Modi after he landed at the airport in Lahore and the two left by helicopter for Sharif’s nearby family estate.
It was Sharif’s 66th birthday and the family home was festooned with lights for his grand-daughter’s wedding on Saturday. Modi and Sharif talked for about 90 minutes and shared an early evening meal before the Indian leader flew back home.
Modi, a Hindu nationalist, came to power in 2014, and has authorised a more robust approach to Pakistan, giving security forces the licence to retaliate forcefully along their disputed border and demanding an end to insurgent attacks in Indian territory.
