March, 27 2005	Sunday	16 Safar 1426

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ISLAMABAD, MARCH 26: Ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain will meet Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and President Abdul Kalam in New Delhi on Tuesday, diplomatic sources told Dawn on Saturday.His meeting with Congress Party chief Mrs Sonia Gandhi is also expected the same day. This will be the first high-level contact between the two countries after Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s visit to India in November. The PML president will be carrying a message of goodwill from the top Pakistani leadership, PML secretary-general Mushahid Hussain Syed said.Mr Shujaat is scheduled to leave Islamabad for New Delhi aboard a special aircraft that will take him directly to the Indian capital on Monday morning. This will be the PML president’s first interaction with the top Indian leadership.

He will be accompanied by the party secretary-general and some two dozen Leaguers on his four-day visit.

Indian External Affairs Minister Mr Natwar Singh will host a lunch for the PML president and members of his delegation on Wednesday, sources said. The same day Chaudhry Shujaat will call on BJP leader and former Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Opposition Leader L. K Advani.

On the day of his arrival in Delhi, Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan will host a dinner in his honour. The PML chief is also likely to meet APHC leaders at the high commissioner’s reception.

During his meetings with the Indian leadership, Chaudhry Shujaat is expected to underscore early resolution of all outstanding disputes between the two countries, including Jammu and Kashmir.

The Baglihar dispute and the proposed trans Pakistan gas pipeline project were likely to come up for discussion during these meetings, the sources said.