Track II diplomacy: Musharraf to visit India

Track II diplomacy: Musharraf to visit India

Saturday, April 16, 2005 (New Delhi):

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will arrive in India today for a three-day official visit.

This is the General's second in nearly four years, preceded by the not so successful Agra Summit in 2001.

Musharraf's first stop in India will be a visit to the Ajmer Dargah, which he had missed last time after the breakdown of talks in Agra.

His wife and a 45-member delegation will accompany him to the shrine. Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan and Information Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed are part of the delegation.

Packed itinerary

Musharraf will then fly back to New Delhi. First stop in the Capital is the Kotla encounter between India and Pakistan.

He will watch the cricket match between the two countries on Sunday for an hour and a half.

After this, he will hold a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. He will then meet the President APJ Abdul Kala and leader of the opposition, L K Advani.

Also on his agenda, are meetings with UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, and Hurriyat leaders.

Cricketing ties

This is the second time that that a Pakistani leader has used cricket diplomacy to improve Indo- Pak relations.

The first being when General Zia-ul-Haq attended an Indo-Pak test match in 1987. The visit had helped ease tension between the two nations.

Musharraf will watch the match at Kotla with the Indian Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

The General's visit comes at a time when there has been a thaw in Indo Pak relations.

The first Srinagar Muzaffarabad bus has successfully crossed the border and passengers are getting ready for the second one. And both sides are hoping that this visit transcends beyond just cricket.

Unprecedented security

Meanwhile, security is the top priority as the Pakistan President comes into India. The Kotla stadium resembles a fortress, ahead of Sunday's final one-day international match.

Heavy security is being put in place for the two main VIP spectators – Singh and Musharraf.

Nearly 800 policemen will be carrying out security checks on the big day. Police in plain clothes and intelligence agents have been posted to conduct anti-sabotage checks and detect any explosives.

Security has also been tightened in and around the Taj Hotel in the Capital. Musharraf will be staying on the 9th floor of the Hotel, but security personnel have been posted on all floors.