President Asif Ali Zardari is expected soon to make the first visit to India by a Pakistani head of state since 2005, with relations between the nuclear-armed rivals at their warmest in years.
Zardari’s spokesman said on Sunday that the visit would be personal but held out the possibility that it could be official. Indian media quoted government sources there as saying they hoped there would be formal talks.
“It has been on the cards, and now it is confirmed,” spokesman Farhatullah Babar told Reuters.
“It was supposed to be a private visit. But what it turns out (to be) finally, whether private, official, or private (and) official has yet to be confirmed,” he added.
“The foreign ministries of the two countries have been in touch with each other to finalise details for the president’s visit, which will be private,” presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar told AFP.
Zardari is expected to visit a shrine to a revered Sufi saint in the Indian city of Ajmer. Indian newspapers, citing government sources, said Indian officials were making efforts to hold political discussions during the visit.
Zardari is known to be superstitious and his spiritual beliefs have been widely reported in the Pakistani media. According to media reports, one of his rituals is the sacrifice of a black goat to protect him from evil. Scores of black goats have reportedly been sacrificed since Zardari moved into the presidency.
The president also has a resident ‘pir’ or Sufi master who lives with him in the presidency. Pir Mohammad Ejaz has even been spotted at official functions organised at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The holy man from Gujranwala in Punjab province has been living in a guestroom close to the president’s room since Zardari moved into the presidency in September 2008. Ejaz recently told the media that he has been with Zardari for the past nine years.
Zardari to make ‘personal’ visit to India
