Musharraf hopes to meet Vajpayee in Delhi

Concerned over the health of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Pakistan's ex-president Pervez Musharraf on Friday, expressed his desire to meet the ailing leader during his visit to New Delhi.

Musharraf, who left here this afternoon for New Delhi to participate in the 'India Today' conclave, said he had no plans to meet any Indian leaders except Vajpayee as he was not on a political visit.

"Vajpayee is ill and if I get an opportunity, I would like to meet him," the former president told reporters at the airport here.

The 84-year-old Vajpayee, who was admitted to AIIMS on February 3, was discharged from the hospital on March 1 after doctors conducted tracheotomy on him to ease his respiration process.

Vajpayee and Musharraf had launched the Composite Dialogue process in 2004. India put the dialogue on hold after the Mumbai attacks, which New Delhi has blamed on Pakistan-based elements, including the Lashker-e-Taiba terror group.