Zardari offers prayers at Ajmer dargahAnnounces $1 million donation
Ajmer, April 8
 Zardari at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer on Sunday. — PTI Zardari carries a ‘chader’ at the Ajmer dargah. — PTI  Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (C) at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer on Sunday. — Reuters |
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari today offered prayers at the historic 13th century dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in this pilgrim town after which a $1 million donation for the shrine was announced.
At the end of his visit to the shrine marked by tight security this evening, Zardari said he felt “a great spiritual happiness” after coming to this holy place which was “beyond description.” A $1 million (Rs 5 crore) for the welfare of the shrine was announced on behalf of Zardari by a member of his delegation, according to the Anjuman Committee’s vice-president Syed Khalimuddin Chishti.
Clad in a blue salwar kameez, 56-year-old Zardari, accompanied by his son Bilawal, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and members of his 44-member delegation, stayed inside the Sufi saint’s mausoleum for 20 minutes where he offered a 42-sq m long red ‘chadar’ and floral tributes. Bilawal offered a green chadar. Chadar is a ceremonial cloth inscribed with religious verses.
A chadar was also offered by Union Minister Pawan Bansal on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Bansal, the minister-in-waiting for Zardari's visit, prayed for peace and harmony.
“Is mukaddas mukam par akar mujhe jo ruhani khushi mehsus hui hai wo na-kabil-e-bayan hai. Alla tala se dua hai ki wo tamam insaniyat ke liye asaniya paida kare. Amin” (I feel a great spiritual happiness after coming to this holy place. It is beyond description. I pray to God to create favourable conditions for humanity. Amin) Zardari wrote in the visitors book.
Zardari performed ‘fateha’ (supplication) and went around the premises comprising mosques, graves of the Khwaja’s disciples, a pool and two big cauldrons used for cooking food during the annual Urs. Pervez Musharraf and Zia-ul-Haq were the previous Pakistani Presidents to offer obeisance at the revered shrine.
The President landed at Ghugra helipad in Ajmer in a helicopter from Jaipur where a special aircraft carrying him and his delegation brought him from Delhi after a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who also hosted a lunch for him. The convoy then moved to the Dargah Sharif, 12.3 km by road from the helipad.
Anjuman committee officials said the donation announced by Zardari was the biggest amount in recent years, but it was not immediately known whether it was made in a personal capacity or in his capacity as President.
Outside the Nizam gate, the main entrance of the dargah, Zardari was welcomed by Sayed Natik Chisti, Anjuman committee secretary Sayed Wahid Chisti and its president Husamuddin Niyazi.
Sayed Natik Chisti, who had performed the ‘Ziyarat’ (prayer) when Musharraf had visited the shrine, performed the same for Zardari along with Syed Iqbal Kaptan Chisti who claimed to be the family khadim of late Prime Minister and Zardari’s slain wife Benazir Bhutto.
Zardari was presented two chadars for shrines in Pakistan — Baba Farid-ud-din Ganjshakar at Pakpattan near Lahore and Databaksh shrine in Lahore by a body of khadims (clerics).
A member of the dargah staff removed the shoes of Zardari who then wore a special rexine socks and entered the shrine from the Nizam gate.
As soon as he stepped into the dargah, he was welcomed by beating of drums as per traditions and customs of the shrine.
President of the dargah committee Sohel Ahmad Khan and CEO Mohammad Afzal received them inside the shrine after his entry from the Nizam gate.
The delegation then proceeded towards the Aastana (shrine) after passing through Shahjahani gate, Buland darwaja, Sandali gate and Ahta-e-Noor (boundary of the main shrine).
China today lauded Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to India, saying better ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours would benefit both countries and bring stability in the region.
"Better ties between Pakistan and India, two nuclear-armed heavyweight neighbours on the South Asian subcontinent, will benefit both countries and regional stability," a commentary by state-run Xinhua news agency said.
"The two countries’ efforts in warming up their ties certainly are welcomed and applauded by the international community including China, which neighbours both nations and maintains significant ties with them," it said. China and Pakistan have been all-weather friends over the past decades, while both China and India have been members of BRICS, a bloc of five major emerging economies that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa.
China praises visit
Beijing, April 8China today lauded Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's visit to India, saying better ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours would benefit both countries and bring stability in the region.
"Better ties between Pakistan and India, two nuclear-armed heavyweight neighbours on the South Asian subcontinent, will benefit both countries and regional stability," a commentary by state-run Xinhua news agency said.
"The two countries’ efforts in warming up their ties certainly are welcomed and applauded by the international community including China, which neighbours both nations and maintains significant ties with them," it said. China and Pakistan have been all-weather friends over the past decades, while both China and India have been members of BRICS, a bloc of five major emerging economies that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa.
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