ISLAMABAD:
President Asif Ali Zardari will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi over lunch on April 8 before making a private visit to the famous 13th century Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer, India’s Daily News and Analysis newspaper reported on Sunday.
This will be the first visit to India by a Pakistani head of state since 2005. “The president has accepted the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for lunch in New Delhi en route to Ajmer Sharif on April 8,” presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said on Sunday night.
Earlier Babar said the president would return to Islamabad the same day. “We have requested for a personal visit, but there is a possibility of having some meetings with Indian leaders,” he said.
Indian media reports have suggested that formal talks will take place.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2012.
COMMENTS (12)
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@zaid hamid: All Halaal for sure so dont worry!
@Thoughtful:
They could go to the renowned food street in Chandni Chowk, I suppose Mr. Zardari is sick of eating meat everyday.
Nothing can be decided as both are in a position of political weakness right now. Would love to know the menu though, Manmohan Singh being totally vegetarian!
It is a bold and pragmatic step in the right direction. Let us hope and pray that the invisible hand of deep state does not come up with another trick.
@Abba Jee
Zardari will be remembered for 'all times' due to reasons other than this...
Disaster to strike India
It is good that the two nations are warming up. But at the back of Indian minds is a reminder of how the establishment unleashes its ‘non-state actors’ on such actions to derail it.
lunch items?
Vienna,April 2,2012 This is the first chance for Zardari to report to the Prime Minister first hand what President Obama called him for on May 1/2,2011 when he spoke on the phone.They may also discuss the barter deal Pak refugee L.K.Advani against another Indian refugee in Pakistan that India can choose itself. Taravadu Taranga Trust for Media Monitoring TTTMM India --Kulamarva Balakrishna
I hope both make serious headway in improving relationship between the two countries.I hope there is peace and development in both countries.I hope that both countries ease the visa regime so that there is more people to people exchange
Both Dr Manmohan Singh and Mr Asif Ali Zardari are in no-loss positions.( Both of them have nothing to loose ) If they agree to solve the bilateral problems, they will be remembered in history for a very long period of time.