Zeenews Bureau
Ajmer: Taking a stern view against Pakistani establishment’s machinations against India, the spiritual head of Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti's shrine on Friday opposed the forthcoming visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to the world famous Sufi shrine.
Diwan of khawaja Moinuddin Chisti's shrine Zainul Abedin Ali Khan said the inhuman manner in which Indian soldiers were treated by the Pakistan Army is despicable and needs to be condemned it in the strongest of words.
“They are not following the teachings of Prophet Mohammed nor Koran,” he said.
“If he (Pak PM) wants to pray at the Dargah then he should bring back the head of the soldier (Lance Naik Hemraj) and personally apologise to the Prime Minister of India and also seek forgiveness from the soldier’s family,” Khan said.
The diwan is the first person to welcome the head of other nations on the main Nizam gate as they arrive at the shrine.
Lance Naik Hemraj and Lance Naik Sudhakar Singh were killed along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on January 08 after Pakistani soldiers reportedly sneaked into the Indian side to attack the Indian soldiers. In a show of absolute brutality and lack of military ethics, the attackers took away the head of Hemraj with them.
For the record, the Pakistani government has denied any involvement in the incident and has also feigned ignorance about the missing head of the brave soldier. Later, reports had claimed that the attackers were rewarded on their return to their cam in PoK.
Importantly, the Diwan said that he can’t stop the Pak PM from coming to the Dargah but if he chooses to come then he won’t be present there to welcome him.
“Khadims can do ziyarat but I won’t be there…the Pak PM would understand its meaning and implication,” he added.
On the other hand, the shrine's Anjuman committee has decided to welcome Ashraf.
"Ashraf is coming to the shrine of great saint Khawaja Garib Nawaz and he is our guest. We and the administration are prepared to welcome him," said committee secretary Sayed Wajid Angara.
"We do not know the reason of the statement released by the diwan but we are determined to do our job and accord warm welcome to the Pakistan Prime Minister on his visit here," he added.
The Pakistani PM is scheduled to land in Jaipur around 11 am tomorrow. Ashraf, along with his family members and others accompanying him, will meet Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid over lunch before flying to Ajmer in a chopper. He will come back to Jaipur in the evening from where he will take his flight back home.
The government of India had earlier ruled out any engagement with the visiting PM but later came around and agreed to host him.
First Published: Friday, March 08, 2013, 15:53