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Musharraf prays at Ajmer Sharief

     Ajmer (Rajasthan): India and Pakistan must prosper and the only way these two countries could go ahead was if they were at peace and stable, said visiting Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf soon after offering prayers at the Dargah of Sheikh Moinuddin Chisti here along with his wife, Sehba and an entourage of senior officials. "It is a great moment for all of us to have visited the shrine. We pray here that the coming times will see improved ties and an atmosphere of peace between India and Pakistan," Musharraf told mediapersons here, adding that he had come on his three day visit to India with a message of peace. Musharraf, who offered a chaadar at the dargah with his wife, also said, "We pray that the two nations will grow and prosper, as will the people of both nations, which will be possible only in an environment of peace". The dargah officials also gave Musharraf two other chaadars, requesting him to offer them at two prominent Sufi shrines in Pakistan. By visiting the Dargah-e-Sharief in Ajmer, Musharraf fulfilled a long-awaited wish. Earlier, he arrived in Jaipur by a special Pakistan International Airlines aircraft and switched to an Indian Air Force helicopter for the short ride to Ajmer. Musharraf, his wife, and members of his delegation left for the dargah from the Ajmer helipad in an elaborate motorcade.

      Clad in a white salwar-kurta, the General was welcomed at the Jaipur airport by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Pakistan High Commissioner to India Aziz Ahmed Khan. Senior Rajasthan cabinet ministers and bureaucrats were also present at the airport to greet the Pakistan President. Musharraf is due to arrive in Delhi shortly and will attend a reception hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight. The Pakistan President is accompanied by a 45-member delegation that includes Foreign Minister Khursheed Mehmood Kasuri and Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Mohammed. On Sunday, Musharraf will watch the cricket match between the two countries for about 90-minutes at Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla stadium. He will then hold a one-on-one meeting with Singh, following which the General will meet President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and leader of the opposition L K Advani. Also on his agenda are meetings with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and Hurriyat leaders.

Indian flag placed upside down on Musharraf's plane (Go To Top)

     Jaipur: Though it may have gone unnoticed, the Indian tricolour was placed upside down on the PIA aircraft carrying Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and his entourage. Musharraf, who arrived here on a three-day visit to India that includes a stopover at the Ajmer Sharief and watching the sixth and final one-day match between the cricket teams of India and Pakistan at the Ferozeshah Kotla tomorrow, besides talks with the Indian leadership, was apparently not informed of the faux pax. The Indian tricolour fluttered with the green on top, instead of the orange. Embarrased PIA officials and aircraft crew later rectified the mistake after they were informed by the ground staff at the Sanger Airport in Jaipur, where the plane has been parked for take off to Delhi later this evening.

Two railway workers killed by militants in Tripura (Go To Top)

     Agartala: Two persons were killed in militants attack and one was seriously injured in West Tripura district today. The incident took place at around 9.15 AM when a vehicle carrying workers of a rail construction company were ambushed by outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT-BM) at Atharomura range in West Tripura district. Two workers including a driver were killed in the spot and one seriously injured was rushed to hospital. Police informed that the lorry attacked was carrying about 20/25 labourers to the worksite of a big tunnel for the extension of the ongoing Manu- Agartla project. Militants resorted indiscriminate firing at the workers when the vehicle reached at Swapnabari, about 70 km north-east of capital Agartala. Police added that the driver of the vehicle and one more died on the spot while another worker was seriously injured in the firing. The ultras immediately left the place after the incident taking advantage of the deep forest. Senior police officials with enforcement rushed to the spot and launched massive manhunt in the area. But no arrest was made so far, police added.

Supreme Court to function on Ram Navami (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Supreme Court will function on Ram Navami as the Chief Justice of India turned down a demand by the Supreme Court Bar Association to declare Monday a holiday. Justice Lahoti said that one adjournment of a case due to an unscheduled holiday would result in pushing back its hearing by at least six months. "How many holidays do people want", wondered he after declining the request. He said that the apex court would function according to its daily routine. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court and the subordinate courts will remain closed on Monday. The Parliament, earlier scheduled to meet on Monday, will now meet on Tuesday.

Junior Kanchi seer's brother Raghu shifted to Salem prison (Go To Top)

     Chennai: Kanchi Junior Sankaracharya's brother R Raghu, who is in police custody in connection with the Sankararaman murder case, has been shifted to the Salem prison. Earlier, he was lodged at the Central Prison here. Police officials, however, didn't reveal the reason for this sudden shifting. Raghu was arrested in the murder case on December 30 last and booked under the Goondas act in January. He is also an accused in the Radhakrishnan assault case. Raghu along with Mutt manager Sunderesa Iyer were booked under the Goondas Act, under which the accused cannot get bail for a year. Senior Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi is also a co-accused in the high-profile murder case. A former Kanchi Mutt associate, Auditor Radhakrishnan, his wife and an attendant at his city residence were murdered on September 20, 2002. The prosecution case is that he was attacked at the instance of the seer, who believed that Radhakrishanan was responsible for circulating anonymous letters about him.

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