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Sufi shrine's priest to perform prayers for Pak President Zardari | With Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari visiting Ajmer today to pay obeisance at the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, one of the priests at the shrine of revered Sufi saint, Syed Iqbal Kaptan, has said that he was all
set to perform prayers for the visiting dignitary during his visit to the mystic tomb. Zardari had earlier visited the shrine in 2005, with his wife, former Prime
Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto, who was assassinated on December
27, 2007, was a firm believer of Chishti. A visibly excited Kaptan, who had also
lent his services to Bhutto during her visits to the shrine, said he would assist
Zardari in performing the rituals and prayers at the Chishti's mausoleum. "It
will be a very good atmosphere. He (President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari) will
be coming here, we will offer prayers for him and his kith and kin. We will also
pray for harmonious, peaceful and friendly relations between India and Pakistan
," said Kaptan. Kaptan further revealed details of the various rituals Zardari
would be performing at the shrine. "We will receive him, and escort him to the
shrine. We will help him hold a special cloth over his head that would be later
offered at the Chishti's grave. Then, he will offer flowers and the special cloth
at the shrine. We will guide him with the rituals and also offer prayers for him.
Later, special offering will be offered to Mr. Zardari. He will then write in
our visiting book, about what he felt at the shrine," he said. Kaptan also recalled
his meeting with Bhutto, and said she had returned to pray before Chishti's grave
after her wish was granted by the 'protector of the poor'-a title accorded to
the revered mystic by millions of his followers. "Benazir Bhutto had visited the
shrine in 2003. She had wished for the release of her husband, Asif Ali Zardari
and had promised to bring him along if her wish was granted. Soon after her husband's
release from prison, she returned with him to the shrine in 2005," said Kaptan.
"She laid the special cloth at the saint's grave with a lot of spiritual fervour
and also offered prayers. She also prayed for peace and harmony between India
and Pakistan ," he added. Zardari will be meeting Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan
Singh during his three-hour stopover in Delhi . It will be Zardari's first visit
to India as Pakistan 's President, and will provide a chance to promote bilateral
ties between both sides. India and Pakistan, which have fought three wars since
their independence from British rule in 1947, have been slowly trying to repair
relations and agreed to resume formal peace talks broken off in the wake of the
Mumbai terror attacks in 2008.
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