M A I N   N E W S

Pak President’s visit
Zardari offers prayers at Ajmer dargah
Announces $1 million donation

Zardari at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer on Sunday. — PTI Zardari carries a ‘chader’ at the Ajmer dargah. — PTI Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (C) at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer on Sunday. — Reuters

Ajmer, April 8
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari today offered prayers at the historic 13th century dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in this pilgrim town after which a $1 million donation for the shrine was announced.

At the end of his visit to the shrine marked by tight security this evening, Zardari said he felt “a great spiritual happiness” after coming to this holy place which was “beyond description.” A $1 million (Rs 5 crore) for the welfare of the shrine was announced on behalf of Zardari by a member of his delegation, according to the Anjuman Committee’s vice-president Syed Khalimuddin Chishti.

Clad in a blue salwar kameez, 56-year-old Zardari, accompanied by his son Bilawal, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and members of his 44-member delegation, stayed inside the Sufi saint’s mausoleum for 20 minutes where he offered a 42-sq m long red ‘chadar’ and floral tributes. Bilawal offered a green chadar. Chadar is a ceremonial cloth inscribed with religious verses.

A chadar was also offered by Union Minister Pawan Bansal on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Bansal, the minister-in-waiting for Zardari's visit, prayed for peace and harmony.

“Is mukaddas mukam par akar mujhe jo ruhani khushi mehsus hui hai wo na-kabil-e-bayan hai. Alla tala se dua hai ki wo tamam insaniyat ke liye asaniya paida kare. Amin” (I feel a great spiritual happiness after coming to this holy place. It is beyond description. I pray to God to create favourable conditions for humanity. Amin) Zardari wrote in the visitors book.

Zardari performed ‘fateha’ (supplication) and went around the premises comprising mosques, graves of the Khwaja’s disciples, a pool and two big cauldrons used for cooking food during the annual Urs. Pervez Musharraf and Zia-ul-Haq were the previous Pakistani Presidents to offer obeisance at the revered shrine.

The President landed at Ghugra helipad in Ajmer in a helicopter from Jaipur where a special aircraft carrying him and his delegation brought him from Delhi after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who also hosted a lunch for him. The convoy then moved to the Dargah Sharif, 12.3 km by road from the helipad.

Anjuman committee officials said the donation announced by Zardari was the biggest amount in recent years, but it was not immediately known whether it was made in a personal capacity or in his capacity as President.

Outside the Nizam gate, the main entrance of the dargah, Zardari was welcomed by Sayed Natik Chisti, Anjuman committee secretary Sayed Wahid Chisti and its president Husamuddin Niyazi.

Sayed Natik Chisti, who had performed the ‘Ziyarat’ (prayer) when Musharraf had visited the shrine, performed the same for Zardari along with Syed Iqbal Kaptan Chisti who claimed to be the family khadim of late Prime Minister and Zardari’s slain wife Benazir Bhutto.

Zardari was presented two chadars for shrines in Pakistan — Baba Farid-ud-din Ganjshakar at Pakpattan near Lahore and Databaksh shrine in Lahore by a body of khadims (clerics).

A member of the dargah staff removed the shoes of Zardari who then wore a special rexine socks and entered the shrine from the Nizam gate.

As soon as he stepped into the dargah, he was welcomed by beating of drums as per traditions and customs of the shrine.

President of the dargah committee Sohel Ahmad Khan and CEO Mohammad Afzal received them inside the shrine after his entry from the Nizam gate.

The delegation then proceeded towards the Aastana (shrine) after passing through Shahjahani gate, Buland darwaja, Sandali gate and Ahta-e-Noor (boundary of the main shrine). — PTI

Elaborate menu for lunch
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

Cong president Sonia Gandhi couldn’t attend the event and sent a regret letter to the PM

New Delhi, April 8
Though Asif Ali Zardari is said to be a vegetarian, the best of non-vegetarian and vegetarian cuisine from Kashmir to Kanyakumari were on offer at the lunch hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in honour of the Pakistani leader and his entourage this afternoon.

The luncheon, held at the dining room of 7, Race Course Road, the PM’s official residence, was attended by nearly 20 persons from both sides.

The first course was a cold melon and mint soup, followed by starters that included pakoras of sarson ke phool, vegetable shammi kebab and mini masala dosa for the vegetarians. For the non-vegetarians, murgh seekh and gosht barra kebabs were on offer. The main course comprised kareli dal mutton, chicken kofta makhni, sikandari raan and a variety of Indian breads. Kachi gosht biriyani was also on offer. For the vegetarians, the menu included tori bhujia, paneer jalfrezi, makai palak, mixed vegetables, moong dal tadka and vegetable biryani. The lunch ended with desserts including blueberry mousse, gur ka sandesh, phirni and fresh fruit salad. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi and Bilawal Bhutto, Zardari's son and Chairman of ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP), sat next to each other. Others present included Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, Defence Minister AK Antony, Home Minister P Chidambaram, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and senior BJP leader LK Advani. From the Pakistani side, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Foreign Secretary Jaleel Abbas Jilani and High Commissioner Shahid Malik were among those who attended.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi could not attend the high-octane event and sent a regret letter to the PM.

Pak Prez lost Rs 1 bet with Omar

New Delhi, April 8
CM Omar Abdullah on Sunday said Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari owes him Re 1 because he had bet that the Pakistani leader won't be able to visit Jammu and Kashmir on his India trip. Speaking in a lighter vein on a news channel, Omar recalled how during his visit to Pakistan in 2006 he had taken a bet of one rupee with Zardari that he won't able to visit Kashmir. "He has not and he owes me one rupee."

Abdullah said the visit of any Pakistani leader to Jammu and Kashmir was "long overdue". Asked if he wanted Zardari to visit Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister replied: "Certainly. It is long overdue. I would also like to visit Mirpur and Muzaffarabad (in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir)." — IANS

Can Rahul, Bilawal hit it off like their parents?
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, April 8
When Rahul Gandhi came face to face with Bilawal Bhutto at the Prime Minister’s lunch this afternoon, it reminded many of the famous meeting between Rahul’s father Rajiv and Bilawal’s mother Benazir in 1988 as the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan, respectively, on the margins of the SAARC Summit in Islamabad.

The two leaders had hit it off well since they had so much in common, raising hopes of a new era in India-Pakistan relations.

Both Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto were charismatic leaders whose lives were marked by family tragedies and political triumphs and defeats.

Both were children of South Asia's biggest political dynasties. And, both were assassinated under tragic circumstances.

At the dinner table this afternoon, Rahul and Bilawal sat next to each other and communicated quite often. Can the ‘Gen Next’ leaders now hit it off like their parents?

Both Rahul, 41, and Bilawal, 23, hold key posts in the Congress and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) respectively. Both have studied in Britain.

After the lunch, Bilawal tweeted that he enjoyed lunch with the PM and Rahul and that both the countries could learn a lot from each other. "India, peace be with you. I have just landed in Delhi. 1st ever visit," Bilawal tweeted soon after arriving in New Delhi.

As soon as he landed in Jaipur, before heading for Ajmer, Bilawal tweeted his appreciation of the lunch. "Prez n I enjoyed lunch with Rahul Gandhi and PM Singh. Lovely meal. Much to learn from each other," he said.

China praises visit

Beijing, April 8
China today lauded Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to India, saying better ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours would benefit both countries and bring stability in the region.

"Better ties between Pakistan and India, two nuclear-armed heavyweight neighbours on the South Asian subcontinent, will benefit both countries and regional stability," a commentary by state-run Xinhua news agency said.

"The two countries’ efforts in warming up their ties certainly are welcomed and applauded by the international community including China, which neighbours both nations and maintains significant ties with them," it said. China and Pakistan have been all-weather friends over the past decades, while both China and India have been members of BRICS, a bloc of five major emerging economies that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa. — PTI