China trip put off, Advani decides on Pak instead

Advani is now preparing to go to Pakistan next month and dates are being fixed in consultation with the Ministry of External Affairs. The BJP leader is likely to leave on a nine-day trip to Pakistan in the first week of June and will visit Karachi, where he was born.

Advani studied at St. Patrick’s School in Karachi and later at D.G. National College in Hyderabad in Sindh. While the dates for the visit are being finalised, New Delhi has raised the question of Advani’s security, particularly in Karachi. Pakistan National Security Advisor Tariq Aziz has been apprised of the Indian concerns, sources said. Although South Block is unaware of security concerns during Advani’s trip, it seems that the Indian High Commission in Islamabad is working to avoid last-minute glitches.

According to party sources, the Chinese Ambassador to India, Sun Yuxi, had called on Advani a fortnight ago to chalk out convenient dates for his visit to Beijing. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had invited Advani to visit, on his trip to India last month.

Advani conveyed to Sun that he was available for a week-long visit to China from May 22 and that he wanted to meet the Communist Party leadership, as well as Wen Jiabao. However, Beijing replied that the top Chinese leadership would be travelling at the time of his proposed visit.