Zardari writes to India, wants to visit Ajmer

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has conveyed to the Indian government his desire to visit the Sufi shrine in Ajmer next week.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has conveyed to the Indian government his desire to visit the Sufi shrine in Ajmer next week.

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Sources said Zardari could visit Ajmer either on April 7 or 8. He has also sought India’s permission to bring 12 members of his family along with him.

The visit, being dubbed a purely private one, is intended as a pilgrimage to the dargah (shrine) of famous Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

The itinerary will, in all likelihood, be a one-day affair, with Zardari arriving in the morning and flying out the same day. “The visit is supposed to be devoid of political or diplomatic content but since it involves the Pakistani president, the possibility of some meetings with Indian leaders cannot be ruled out,” a source said.

In Islamabad, presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar did not rule out the possibility that the visit could turn into an official one.