Game on, Yusaf Raza Gilani pads up for Mohali match - Report
March 28, 2011 05:11 am
Pakistan’s foreign office confirmed on Sunday that Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gilani had “happily” accepted his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh’s invitation to watch the ICC World Cup semi-final between Pakistan and India at Mohali on March 30. The statement issued by the foreign office spokesperson gave no details about who would form Gilani’s entourage.
Gilani would meet Singh informally during the match and a formal meeting would be held after the game, The News daily quoted sources as saying, reports the Hindustan Times.
There was some confusion on Saturday night about who would attend the match on Pakistan’s behalf.
It was proposed that senate chairman Farooq Naek would go to Mohali but on instructions from President Asif Ali Zardari, Gilani was requested to witness the match.
Though Singh had extended an invitation to Zardari as well, he won’t be able to go as his father, Hakim Ali Zardari, is seriously ill and on life-support at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences here.
Responding to Singh’s invitation, Zardari on Sunday remitted the jail sentence of Indian prisoner Gopal Das as a goodwill gesture.
Das had been languishing in a Lahore jail for the past 27 years.
The President’s spokesperson, Farhatullah Babar, said the decision was taken on humanitarian grounds following a recent appeal by the Indian Supreme Court. The appeal was considered by Zardari on the advice of Prime Minister Gilani. The Hindustan Times adds.
