New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will land in Karachi today evening for a week-long Pakistan visit. His agenda includes political meetings, sightseeing and possibly, tea with Imran Khan, who hopes to be Pakistan's next Prime Minister and has said he has a learnt a lot from Mr Kumar's political mantra.
Mr Kumar is visiting Pakistan on the invitation of an all-party parliamentary delegation from that country that visited Bihar in August this year. He heads an 11-member delegation which includes the Bihar Assembly speaker and various ministers in the state government. Mr Kumar will visit Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore and the historical cities of Mohenjodaro and Taxila.
Former cricketer Imran Khan, who heads the Tehreek-e-Insaaf, an opposition party, has invited Mr Kumar for tea. He has been vocal about his admiration for the Bihar Chief Minister, whose Janata Dal (United) rules Bihar in partnership with the BJP.
During his stay, Nitish will also meet the chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh who had sent him the invitation to visit their states. He will also hold discussions with leaders of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). He is also likley to meet Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime minister Raja Parvez Ashraf though it was yet to be officially finalised.
Nitish will visit Mazar-e-Quaid to pay floral tributes at the tomb of Mohammed Ali Jinnah. He will go to the famous archaeological sites of Mohanjodaro and Takshila, besides Dera Saheb Gurdwara, Balen Sadhu temple and the mausoleum of Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Nitish will return to India by road through the Wagah border.
The delegation consists of Bihar's Industries Minister Renu Kushwaha, Art and Culture Minister Sukhda Pandey, Deputy Chairman of the Bihar Legislative Council Salim Parwez, Director of the Khuda Baksh Oriental Library Dr Imtiyaz Ahmad, chairman of the State Minorities Commission Mohammed Naushad, member of the Upper Caste Commission Mohammed Abbas, Janata Dal-United's Rajya Sabha member N K Singh, Chief Secretary A K Sinha, Home Secretary Amir Subhasni, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Anjani Kumar Singh and Secretary to the Chief Minister Atish Chandra.
According to official sources, the delegation is carrying souvenirs, mementos and other gifts to Pakistan. They include an exquisite chadar made by a team of embroiderers from Noon Ka Chauraha locality in Patna City.
Nitish's development work had earned him many admirers in Pakistan, including former cricketer and Tehreek-e-Insaaf party founder Imran Khan.
