THE quiet involvement of Pakistan’s powerful military in its foreign policy this year paved the way for reviving a stalled dialogue with India, officials said Saturday, a thaw leading to the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in almost 12 years.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise trip to meet Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif on Friday raised hopes that stop-and-start negotiations between the nuclear-armed neighbors might finally mean progress after more than 65 years of hostility.

    Aides say the meeting was arranged directly between the two prime ministers on just a few hours’ notice when Modi called to wish 66-year-old Sharif a happy birthday.

    But even before Modi arrived in the eastern city of Lahore, relations between the nuclear-armed rivals had begun to thaw, with a resumption of dialogue already in the offing.

    On Friday, Modi and Sharif agreed that their foreign secretaries would meet in mid-January to restart talks.

    Pakistani officials say “ownership” of peace talks by the military and the appointment of a recently retired general as the national security adviser have given Pakistan renewed confidence to restart dialogue with India, including speaking about the thorny issue of terrorism.

    “This round is different because there is backing from the top where it matters ... the army chief is himself on board,” a top diplomat said before the visit.

    Army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif is said to be close to the new national security adviser, recently retired general Naseer Khan Janjua, who in October replaced civilian Sartaj Aziz.

    Many saw the move as strengthening the army’s hand in talks with India.

    “General Janjua has immense experience in these matters. He’s the best man for the job and he has already proven to be an asset to this (peace) process,” one member of Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet said earlier in December.

    (SD-Agencies)