Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf flew in with about 50 people on Saturday amidst protests at the 13th century shrine of Ajmer Sharif at Rajasthan.
The Pakistani prime minister also faced a symbolic boycott at the dargah. The spiritual head of the sufi shrine did not assist him in prayers as a mark of protest over the mutilation of the bodies of two Indian soldiers in January.
Opposing the visit, local lawyers and representatives of market associations staged protests.
After he offered a chadar – a ceremonial cloth inscribed with religious verses- and floral tributes, Ashraf prayed for peace in the world and prosperity in Pakistan.
“My family and I are fortunate to get the opportunity to visit the dargah. I thank you Garib Nawaz. I wish for peace in the world and for peace and prosperity in Pakistan,” the Pakistani PM wrote in Urdu in the visitor’s book.
Ashraf, along with his wife and some of his relatives among others, offered prayers at the Dargah and stayed inside the historic shrine for about 30 minutes.
There were tight security arrangements for Ashraf’s visit. Over 1,000 police personnel guarded the entire stretch from the helipad to the dargah.
The police had to use mild force to disperse a group of protestors who had gathered at Favvara circle to show black flags to the prime minister on his way back to the Ghughra helipad on the outskirts of the city.
Before his visit to the dargah, Ashraf met the Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid over lunch at Jaipur. After the meeting, Khurshid said he did not discuss issues like terrorism with Ashraf because he was on a private visit to India.
“This was a private visit. It was a pilgrimage for Ashraf. This was not the occasion nor did I have the authority to discuss such issues,” Khurshid told reporters after the lunch and added.
The opposition party BJP questioned why the Indian government was going out of way to interact with the Pakistani leader. The government, however, insisted that it was only following basic protocol.
“In accordance with normal diplomatic protocol, we are extending him due courtesies,” a spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs said.
