Ahead of Zardari visit, Ajmer's khadims remember Benazir

When Syed Iqbal Kaptan helps Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari perform 'ziyarat' (prayer) at the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the memories of his slain wife and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who had visited the shrine in 2005, will come back to him.

“There will be something amiss this time as she (Bhutto) is not there anymore. However, she will always be in our memory. We still have her memories of her coming to the shrine and offering prayers,” Kaptan told IANS.

Kaptan is one of the 'khadims' (caretakers) at the shrine.

“I still remember her when she came here in 2005 with Zardari and spent some time and offered prayers. She visited the shrine thrice and her last visit was in 2005,” Kaptan told IANS.

“She prayed for the cordial and harmonious relationship between the two countries,” said Kaptan.

According to another khadim, Bhutto who was then living in exile, seemed to be longing to return to Pakistan.

“I remember her saying that she wanted to return to her motherland,” the khadim, in his late 20s, told IANS.

Natik Chisti, who will assist Kaptan, expressed grief over Bhutto's assassination Dec 27, 2007.

"This shrine is the symbol of peace and harmony. Sufisim can be the bridge between the people of two countries. It says love towards all and malice towards none," said Natik Chisti.

(Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at gaurav.s@ians.in)

--Indo-Asian News Service


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