23 May 2004	Sunday	03 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

ISLAMABAD, May 22: The spiritual leader of Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Dr Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin has expressed the hope that Pakistan and India will come closer as a result of the ongoing peace process.

Dr Burhanuddin was speaking at a ceremony at the Punjab House here on Saturday soon after his arrival from Mumbai on a chartered plane.

Federal Minister for Information Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq received Syedna Burhanuddin at the Islamabad airport.

A large number of Dawoodi Bohra community members from all over Pakistan were present at the Punjab House to receive their spiritual leader, who is a state guest of the government of Pakistan.

Dr Burhanuddin said that he had witnessed great improvement in relations between India and Pakistan due to confidence building measures (CBMs) taken by the two countries in recent months.

He said a person should always be loyal to the country where he was living.

In his short speech, Dr Burhanuddin also stressed the need for unity among the Muslim Ummah and urged Muslims to strictly follow the teachings of the holy Quran and Sunnat.

Earlier, the children of Al-Madrassatul Fatmia (AS) greeted the spiritual leader by reciting verses in different regional languages.

Later in the evening, Dr Burhanuddin called on Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and lauded efforts of the Pakistan government for improving relations with India.

He also assured the prime minister that his community would invest in Pakistan with a view to contributing towards its overall developments.

The prime minister welcomed the head of Bohra Jamaat and said that Pakistan was an enlightened modern Islamic state and the government was making efforts for socio-economic development of the people.

Dr Burhanuddin will stay in Islamabad for at least three days where he will attend various religious ceremonies.