New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Lahore to meet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, saying it is a step in the right direction.

Sayeed said he was delighted by Modi's visit, which will further strengthen the bonds of friendship and usher in an era of peace and stability in the region. This is an "evolutionary process and step in the right direction", he said.