ISI chief Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha's presence at an 'iftar' hosted by the Indian High Commissioner made it to the front pages of most Pakistani newspapers on Friday, with one daily even describing the development as a "milestone" in the history of Indo-Pak ties.

Pasha created ripples after he made a low-key entrance along with another senior ISI official and some aides at the iftar-dinner hosted by High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal in a five-star hotel last evening. In the absence of any senior ministers, Pasha was the senior-most representative from the Pakistani side at the event.

Clad in a black sherwani, Pasha sat at the same table as Sabharwal and several other Pakistani guests, including former minister Gohar Ayub Khan, TV anchors and businessmen. After breaking his fast and offering the 'maghrib' prayers, Pasha left much before the dozens of other guests.

In its front-page report, The News daily said: "September 10, 2009 was a milestone in the history of India-Pakistan relations...It was the first time that the head of the ISI Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha was the guest of Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal at an iftar dinner..."

Sabharwal exchanged pleasantries with Pasha and told his guests about his earlier diplomatic stint in Pakistan during 1995-99. The News noted that this was "the most difficult time" between the two countries because of the Kargil conflict in 1999 and the ISI "used to chase all those visiting the Indian High Commission in Islamabad."

The News also pointed out that though Pakistani and Indian diplomats were "beaten up" many times by intelligence personnel in the late 1990s, the ISI chief was greeted with smiles by Indian diplomats at yesterday's event.

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