April 7, 2012 5:57 PM

printer

Bilateral talks likely during Zardari visit tomorrow

Bilateral issues are likely to be discussed when Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari arrives in New Delhi on Saturday. In a pre-lunch one-on-one discussion Zardari will review issues of mutual interest with the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at his official residence before flying to Ajmer to offer prayers at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti . No aides will be present from either side at the meeting.

During his day-long trip to India, Zardari will be accompanied by his 23-year-old son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who took over the reigns of Pakistan Peoples Party after the death of his mother Benazir Bhutto in 2007. Interior Minister Rahman Malik, Foreign Secretary, senior officers of Presidency and media are also accompanying him.

While officials say all issues will be discussed between the two leaders, it is 26 / 11 Mumbai terror attack master mind Hafiz Saeed who is on everyone’s mind after the US announced a bounty of ten million dollars for his conviction. One hundred sixty six people including six Americans were killed in the attack in 2008.

Though the Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that the case of Hafiz Saeed is an internal matter, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna asserted that the dossier the Home Minister of India provided to the government of Pakistan contains every detail of Hafiz Saeed's involvement in the planning and execution of the terror attack.

India is also likely to bring up the slow pace of the 26/11 trial in Pakistan despite the visit of Pakistan's judicial commission last month. Also, no attempt to prosecute other masterminds besides Saeed and the continuance of terror training camps on Pakistani soil may come up during the discussions.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at Ajmer in Rajasthan for the visit of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday. He will pay obeisance to Sufi Saint Khawaja Moinuddin Hasan Chishti. This will his second visit to Ajmer after 2006 when he visited the Shrine with Benzir Bhutto.

Most Read
View All arrow-right

No posts found.