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Musharraf to lead 63-member delegation to India

Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf will be leading a 63-member delegation to India during his three-day visit beginning July 14 for talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The talks will be the first summit level contact between the two countries following the 1999 Kargil conflict.

The two leaders are scheduled to hold talks for four and half hours in Agra on July 15, official sources said.

Musharraf's delegation would include several ministers, top officials, intellectuals and journalists, the sources added.

According to the official itinerary finalised by the Pakistan officials in consultations with their Indian counterparts, Musharraf, accompanied by his wife Sehba Musharraf, would arrive at New Delhi's Palam Airport by a special aircraft on July 14 at 8.30 am (IST).

After a brief reception at the airport, he would be driven to Rastrapathi Bhavan where President K R Narayanan and other leaders would ceremonially receive him at 9.00 am (IST).

While in Delhi, he would be staying at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Following the ceremonial welcome, he would drive to Rajghat to offer floral tributes at Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi. His official engagements would begin with a 20-minute meeting with Minister for External Affairs and Defence Jaswant Singh followed by meetings with Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi.

Later, accompanied by his wife, Musharraf would drive down to Taj Palace Hotel to attend the lunch hosted in his honour by Vajpayee.

Shortly after the lunch, he would visit Neharwali Haveli, the ancestral house where he was born and lived for four years before his family migrated to Karachi.

This would be followed by a visit to dargah of Nizamuddin in New Delhi.

In the evening, he would attend an hour-long High Tea reception at the Pakistan Embassy, where Pakistan plans to invite several ministers, leaders of political parties, diplomats, journalists and also if possible, the All Party Hurriyat Conference leaders.

India has already conveyed its opposition to any meeting between him and APHC leaders in New Delhi.

After the reception he would attend a banquet hosted by President Narayanan. On July 15, he would leave New Delhi for the Agra Indian Airforce base at 8.30 am (IST) and drive down to Amar Vilas hotel where he would stay for two days.

At 11.30 am (IST), Musharraf would be driven to Jaypee Palace Hotel where he would be received by Vajpayee. The two leaders would hold a lengthy session - both one to one followed by official delagations till 4.00 pm (IST) with a lunch break in between.

After the summit, Musharraf would return to Amar Vilas hotel and then visit Taj Mahal. He would attend a cultural programme at Hotel Jaypee Palace along with Vajpayee followed by dinner hosted by Uttar Pradesh Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri.

On July 16, the last day of his visit to India, he would begin the day with a breakfast meeting with intellectuals. The entire morning has been left free for another round of talks with Vajpayee, if the two leaders desired so, and address either a joint press conference with the Prime Minister or his own. He is scheduled to leave for Jaipur at 2.00 pm (IST) on his way to Ajmer Sharif. After a brief reception at Jaipur, he would leave for Ajmer Sharif by helicopter.

After 15 minutes prayers at the dargah of Kwaja Moinuddin Chisti, he would return to Jaipur from where he would leave for Islamabad.

PTI

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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