NEW DELHI, 5 July — The owners of the Pakistan president’s ancestral home in India plan to welcome him with a procession of elephants and horses during his visit to the country later this month.
Pervez Musharraf, scheduled to arrive in New Delhi on July 14, is expected to visit the traditional Indian mansion called Neharwali Haveli which was sold by his grandfather in 1946.The family moved to Pakistan after the Muslim nation was carved out of India and freed from British rule in 1947.
The Gola brothers, whose father bought the building from the Musharrafs, and local residents with the support of a legislator, Shoaib Iqbal have planned to hold a “Mushaira” or a traditional Urdu poetry session, and a musical performance in the courtyard as part of the festivities to welcome the high-profile guest on July 14.
Iqbal, the local MLA, has also invited two popular Pakistani poets, Qatil Shifai and Ahmed Faraz for the occasion.
“The ‘Mushaira’ will create the right atmosphere to discuss peace ,” the legislator said.
Iqbal speaking to Arab News, described the Pakistani president’s visit, as a step in the right direction. He hoped that the Vajpayee-Musharraf summit will be able to sort out the Kashmir issue.
Iqbal, the Delhi state president of Janata Dal (Secular) condemned the Shiv Sena’s plan to disrupt Musharraf’s Ajmer visit.
It is to be noted that the Rajasthan unit of the Shiv Sena party has announced that it will oppose Pakistan president’s visit to Ajmer city.
“We have sent a special invitation to the president through the Pakistan High Commission. We plan to make Musharraf’s visit a memorable one,” Sandeep Gola, a 37-year-old trader said. “If all goes according to plan, Musharraf will be brought to Neharwali Haveli, in a procession which will include elephants, horses and musicians,” Iqbal said.
He said all the plans had still to be cleared by security agencies.
For a country that had demonized Musharraf, India is going to great lengths to ensure he gets a warm welcome at next week’s summit. A frantic drive has begun to spruce up the area around the ancestral home in the dilapidated old quarters of the capital, and an Indian politician has even offered him a ride in a hot air balloon above the site.
Analysts believe the one-day summit at the city of Agra could breathe new life into the frozen dialogue process between the two countries, but is unlikely to bring a breakthrough on the Kashmir dispute.
