ISLAMABAD: Final touches are being given to arrangements for Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s visit to India to watch the Cricket World Cup semi-final between Pakistan and India in Mohali on Wednesday.

A special meeting of the cabinet has been convened on Monday and, according to sources, the prime minister will brief his colleagues on his plans for the meeting which he will use as an opportunity for discussing the whole gamut of bilateral relations with Dr Manmohan Singh.

And as if to add sweetener to the prime minister’s visit, President Asif Ali Zardari remitted the sentence of an Indian convict, Gopal Das, on Sunday. The remission was granted on the advice of the prime minister in response to an unusual appeal from the Indian Supreme Court to consider pardoning Gopal Das on humanitarian grounds.

A bench of the Supreme Court of India comprising Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha observed while disposing of a petition filed by Gopal Das through his brother: “We cannot give any direction to Pakistani authorities because we have no jurisdiction. The Indian authorities have done all that they could do in the matter. However, that does not prevent us from making a request to the Pakistani authorities to consider the appeal of the petitioner for releasing him on humanitarian grounds by remitting the remaining part of his sentence.”

Shabbir Anwar, press secretary to the prime minister, told Dawn that the decision to accept Prime Minister Singh’s invitation to visit Mohali was taken at a meeting between Mr Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari late on Saturday night.

“As soon as we receive a final word from the Indian government about itinerary of the visit, we will decide who else will accompany the prime minister,” he said.

Sources in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat said preparations were already in full swing for the trip which will also include a meeting between the two prime ministers.

On Friday, the Indian prime minister had invited his Pakistani counterpart and President Zardari to join him in Mohali to watch the semi-final.

Political analyst Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi said the invitation by Dr Singh showed a major policy shift in India which after the Nov 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks was not willing to hold talks on anything except terrorism, despite Pakistan’s insistence on resumption of a full spectrum of dialogue.

He said the meeting between the prime ministers would help improve the hostile atmosphere, but any extraordinary outcome should not be expected.

Dr Rizvi said that friendly visits at the prime ministers’ level always helped put aside negative propaganda campaigns and remove misunderstandings between states. “I believe the visit will also help relax strict visa regimes the two countries have put in place following the Mumbai attacks.”

Dr Rasool Bakhsh Rais, who teaches Political Science at LUMS, termed Mr Singh’s invitation a remarkable gesture and a great moment in the history of the neighbouring countries.

“I see it beyond symbolism. It is not about negotiating or renegotiating India-Pakistan relations, but the occasion will also provide an opportunity to the two prime ministers to rethink their relationship,” he added.