NEWS

Musharraf to visit India tomorrow

Source:PTI
March 05, 2009 14:49 IST
Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf will visit India on Friday to participate in the India Today Conclave.

The former president will be the first high profile Pakistani to visit India after last year's Mumbai terrorist attacks, which strained ties between the two countries and resulted in New Delhi halting the composite dialogue process.

During the conclave, Musharraf will share the dais with several prominent figures including the Dalai Lama, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.

A close aide of the former general told Dawn newspaper that Musharraf "would keep his tone aggressive during his lectures, interviews and meetings in India" which will focus on "Challenges of Change".

Musharraf is also expected to visit the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University for a lecture. The former president had vowed to take on Indians in their own homeland last month.

Musharraf, who was on a two-week lecture tour to the United States, had said on his return, "I love this life. I am relaxed and satisfied. And I am enjoying my lecture tours. Next month I am going to India for the same purpose. Let's counter the Indians on their own home ground."

Musharraf, who still occupies the well-guarded Army House, the official residence of the army chief in Rawalpindi, now spends time in his favourite room with glass windows that overlook a sprawling lawn, and also loves playing with his new pet, a German Shepherd.

The room also has expensive furniture, a collection of antiques and a LCD television with a sound system.

"It's an interesting transition from cuddly Russian poodles to the ferocious German Shepherd that signifies the change Musharraf underwent from a reluctant coup-maker to an all-powerful dictator," the report said.

Source: PTI
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