Ajmer shrine head refuses to assist Pak PM for prayers
New Delhi: Spiritual head of Ajmer shrine Zainul Abedin Ali Khan on Friday said that he will not assist Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf in prayers at the Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti shrine in protest against the recent brutal killing by the Pakistani Army at LoC.
“The incident of beheading and brutal killing was highly condemnable and has hurt Indians. It is not only violation of human rights but is also against the Islamic law,” he said.
India had on Thursday announced that External Affair Minister Salman Khurshid will host lunch for Ashraf in a Pink City hotel and no substantive discussions are scheduled to take place. The visit comes around two months after ceasefire violations on the Line of Control that led to heightened tensions between the two neighbours. New Delhi had lodged a strong protest over the beheading of an Indian soldier and brutal killing of another.
The Ajmer Sharif spiritual head said, “Pakistan is killing our innocent people by carrying out terror activities and does not take positive action despite the Government of India’s official protests,” he said. “It would have been a new start of good relations between both the nations had the Pak PM before arriving for the Ziyarat handed over the head of the Indian soldier with full honour… along with an apology to all the Indians and the families of the martyrs,” he said.
“It would be an insult to the martyrdom of our soldiers if I welcome the Pakistani PM. Now it is up to him to decide whether his Ziyarat at the holy shrine would be addressed?” he asked. Some local activists and advocates said they will hold protests against the visit.
“Pakistani Prime Minister is landing in India despite the tension for which Pakistan is solely responsible. Our protest will be true homage to the soldiers who were killed by Pakistan’s Army in Kashmir,” Rajesh Tondon, a leader of the protesting lawyers in Ajmer said.
