M A I N   N E W S

Shun confrontation, Advani tells Pak
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 7
Union Home Minister L. K. Advani today asked Pakistan to shun confrontationist approach and embark on the course of peace and cooperation initiated by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Mr Advani pointed out the scheduled summit between Prime Minister Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf next week reflected India’s firm commitment to bringing peace in the subcontinent.

He was speaking after laying the foundation stone for the new building of the National Security Guard (NSG) headquarters here.

“Across the world, people who have fought each other bitterly have gradually started realising that everybody benefits through coordination and cooperation,” he said adding, “If India and Pakistan too embark on coordination and cooperation and give up confrontation everybody would be benefited.”

He stressed that “India’s resolve to settle outstanding issues paving the way for peaceful co-existence in the subcontinent was evident from the invitation extended to Pakistan.”

The Home Minister said India, under the framework of the Simla Accord, had initiated similar peace moves leading to the Lahore Declaration between Mr Vajpayee and the then Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr Nawaz Sharif, in 1999. But regretted that the neighbouring country reciprocated the friendly gesture in the form of the Kargil episode.

“It is unusual that our government wishes to have friendship with a country that threatens our security the most,” Mr Advani said.

On the government’s move to invite the Pakistan President for talks, Mr Advani said, “The Prime Minister decided that the Lahore process should be carried forward and New Delhi succeeded in getting international focus on cross-border terrorism.”

“When Mr Vajpayee embarked on the Lahore bus yatra, a situation was created (by Pakistan) which forced us to say that if it continued we will have no talks,” Mr Advani said, adding, “For a year and a half, we kept talks on hold and worked on to create an opinion the world over against the cross-border terrorism and in this we succeeded.”

Mr Advani praised the competence of the NSG and opined that the elite force needed an appropriate place to function.

Pak ‘yet to receive’ proposal

Islamabad, July 7
Pakistan today said it had not yet received any proposal from India about the visit of its Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) for talks with his Pakistan counterpart ahead of the forthcoming Indo-Pak Summit, but promised to give due consideration to Indian proposals for confidence-building after receiving these.

“We have read in the Press about the Indian proposal for a visit of the DGMO of the Indian Army to Pakistan for a meeting of experts of the two countries to discuss security concepts and nuclear-related confidence-building measures,” said a Foreign Office spokesman in a statement here. PTI

Pervez to take home 2 chaddars
Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

Ajmer, July 7
When Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf leaves this ancient city after seeking the blessings of the revered Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti late in the afternoon on July 16, he would have a load of two gilafs or chaddars, as they are commonly known, on his shoulders.

These would be the takeaways for General Musharraf on behalf of the main religious body, Anjuman Syed Zaadgaan. There is, however, one condition that the chaddars would be spread over the two dargahs of Sufi saints that are in Pakistan.

Anjuman Syed Zaadgaan, which is the representative committee of the Khadims and which has the responsibility of carrying out the religious task of Ziarat or seeking the blessings from Khwajaji has decided to give two specially made gilafs to President Musharraf to be spread over the Dargah of Hazrat Baba Farid Ganjshakr in Pattan and the Dargah of Ali Data Darbar in Lahore.

The two Sufi saints have a great following not only in Pakistan but also in India. In fact, the Sufi kalams of Baba Farid and Ali Data Darbar are well-known among Indians and sung by both Muslims and Hindus alike with great fervour and devotion.

Speaking to The Tribune, Haji Syed Akhtar Hussain, Haji Syed Kalimuddin and Syed Ibrahim Fakhar, three office-bearers of the Anjuman Committee, said the gilafs, although specially made and selected, would be from among those which have already been spread over the Dargah of Khwajaji.

This because Khwajaji is known to be the greatest Sufi saint ever. And the spreading of his two gilafs over the Dargahs of Baba Farid and Ali Data would be a mark of respect to the other two Sufi saints.

As per the programme, President and Begum Musharraf would be arriving at the Dargah at about 4.05 pm on July 16 as the programme has been advanced by about half an hour. As per the earlier itinerary, General Musharraf accompanied by his wife was to reach the Dargah at about 4.35 PM. That could have facilitated General Musharraf to attend the namaz in the evening.

After his arrival from the main road, he would be received at the Nizam Gate or the main gate by representatives of the Anjuman Committee. The other Nizam Committee which has representatives from the central government would be receiving General Musharraf at the Buland Darwaza.

The Anjuman Committee would then take President and Begum Musharraf around the Dargah and perform the Ziarat. Although the committee is sure that President and Begum Musharraf would offer a chaddar at the Dargah but there was still no news about its worth.

The chaddars at the Dargah start from Rs 500 and go into lakhs, depending on the choice and spending capacity of the devout. President Musharraf could make a choice at the Dargah or even bring a chaddar along with him from Islamabad.

After the summit at Agra on July 15, President Musharraf would arrive by a special Pakistan International Airways (PIA) aircraft at Jaipur where four helicopters would be waiting to transport him and his entourage of approximately 40 persons to Ajmer. He would be at the Dargah for about half an hour.

The inside of the Dargah compound would be totally vacated for the arrival of the Pakistani President. It appears luck is with General Musharraf in this regard.

Such facilities, as per the Dargah rules, are offered only to a Head of State or a Head of Government. General Musharraf having elevated himself as President of Pakistan would now be accorded this rare honour. Had he come to India as the Chief Executive of Pakistan, one of the five hats which he continues to wear, he would not have been accorded this honour.

The only other Pakistani military ruler who visited Ajmer to pay his obeisance at the Dargah of Moinuddin Chishti was Gen Zia-ul-Haq. Deposed former Pakistan Prime Ministers — Mr Nawaz Sharif and Ms Benazir Bhutto — had also offered prayers at the Dargah but not in their capacity as Head of Government.

While Mr Sharif accompanied Gen Zia-ul-Haq to the Dargah as the Chief Minister of Punjab in Pakistan, Ms Bhutto had come to the shrine while she was the Leader of the Opposition. Both of them had not been accorded the facilities to be bestowed on General Musharraf.

There is a possibility of General Musharraf not being given free access to the area at the Dargah. Reports said that the Jannati Darwaza (Gate to Heaven) would not be opened for the Pakistani President. Neither would the ceremonial sword be presented to him.

Pervez to take home 2 chaddars
Girja Shankar Kaura
Tribune News Service

Ajmer, July 7
When Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf leaves this ancient city after seeking the blessings of the revered Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti late in the afternoon on July 16, he would have a load of two gilafs or chaddars, as they are commonly known, on his shoulders.

These would be the takeaways for General Musharraf on behalf of the main religious body, Anjuman Syed Zaadgaan. There is, however, one condition that the chaddars would be spread over the two dargahs of Sufi saints that are in Pakistan.

Anjuman Syed Zaadgaan, which is the representative committee of the Khadims and which has the responsibility of carrying out the religious task of Ziarat or seeking the blessings from Khwajaji has decided to give two specially made gilafs to President Musharraf to be spread over the Dargah of Hazrat Baba Farid Ganjshakr in Pattan and the Dargah of Ali Data Darbar in Lahore.

The two Sufi saints have a great following not only in Pakistan but also in India. In fact, the Sufi kalams of Baba Farid and Ali Data Darbar are well-known among Indians and sung by both Muslims and Hindus alike with great fervour and devotion.

Speaking to The Tribune, Haji Syed Akhtar Hussain, Haji Syed Kalimuddin and Syed Ibrahim Fakhar, three office-bearers of the Anjuman Committee, said the gilafs, although specially made and selected, would be from among those which have already been spread over the Dargah of Khwajaji.

This because Khwajaji is known to be the greatest Sufi saint ever. And the spreading of his two gilafs over the Dargahs of Baba Farid and Ali Data would be a mark of respect to the other two Sufi saints.

As per the programme, President and Begum Musharraf would be arriving at the Dargah at about 4.05 pm on July 16 as the programme has been advanced by about half an hour. As per the earlier itinerary, General Musharraf accompanied by his wife was to reach the Dargah at about 4.35 PM. That could have facilitated General Musharraf to attend the namaz in the evening.

After his arrival from the main road, he would be received at the Nizam Gate or the main gate by representatives of the Anjuman Committee. The other Nizam Committee which has representatives from the central government would be receiving General Musharraf at the Buland Darwaza.

The Anjuman Committee would then take President and Begum Musharraf around the Dargah and perform the Ziarat. Although the committee is sure that President and Begum Musharraf would offer a chaddar at the Dargah but there was still no news about its worth.

The chaddars at the Dargah start from Rs 500 and go into lakhs, depending on the choice and spending capacity of the devout. President Musharraf could make a choice at the Dargah or even bring a chaddar along with him from Islamabad.

After the summit at Agra on July 15, President Musharraf would arrive by a special Pakistan International Airways (PIA) aircraft at Jaipur where four helicopters would be waiting to transport him and his entourage of approximately 40 persons to Ajmer. He would be at the Dargah for about half an hour.

The inside of the Dargah compound would be totally vacated for the arrival of the Pakistani President. It appears luck is with General Musharraf in this regard.

Such facilities, as per the Dargah rules, are offered only to a Head of State or a Head of Government. General Musharraf having elevated himself as President of Pakistan would now be accorded this rare honour. Had he come to India as the Chief Executive of Pakistan, one of the five hats which he continues to wear, he would not have been accorded this honour.

The only other Pakistani military ruler who visited Ajmer to pay his obeisance at the Dargah of Moinuddin Chishti was Gen Zia-ul-Haq. Deposed former Pakistan Prime Ministers — Mr Nawaz Sharif and Ms Benazir Bhutto — had also offered prayers at the Dargah but not in their capacity as Head of Government.

While Mr Sharif accompanied Gen Zia-ul-Haq to the Dargah as the Chief Minister of Punjab in Pakistan, Ms Bhutto had come to the shrine while she was the Leader of the Opposition. Both of them had not been accorded the facilities to be bestowed on General Musharraf.

There is a possibility of General Musharraf not being given free access to the area at the Dargah. Reports said that the Jannati Darwaza (Gate to Heaven) would not be opened for the Pakistani President. Neither would the ceremonial sword be presented to him.