Pakistani premier leaves on day-long visit to India

From Rezaul H Laskar Islamabad, Mar 9 (PTI) Pakistan's Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf today embarked on a day-long private visit to India during which he will offer prayers at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer. The premier was seen off at the airport by Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal and senior Pakistani officials. Ashraf's delegation includes his family members and some officials. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will host lunch for the premier in Jaipur. After visiting the sufi shrine in Ajmer, Ashraf is scheduled to return to Islamabad in the evening. No official meeting is scheduled during his visit. This is likely to be Ashraf's last foreign visit before the term of his government ends on March 16. Ashraf's visit comes at a time when there is a chill in bilateral ties over the ceasefire violations at the LoC. An Indian soldier was beheaded by Pakistani troops while the mutilated body of another was found in January. Ajmer Sharif Dargah Diwan, Zainul Abedin Ali Khan has said that he will boycott Ashraf's visit in protest against the brutal killing and beheading of Indian soldiers by the Pakistani Army. PTI RHL PY NSA