Pakistanis have high regard for India: MP Speaker

Bhopal, Mar 30 (UNI) ''Pakistan's citizens have profound respect for the world's largest democracy -- India,'' Madhya Pradesh Speaker Ishwardas Rohani said today while describing his visit to his birthplace Karachi as ''profoundly emotional.'' After returning yesterday from a three-day official tour during which he took part in a Conference of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Asia Region, Mr Rohani told UNI here that he also visited his ''sasural'' (in-laws' place) at Dadu, about 375 km from Karachi.

''During our meeting, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf expressed happiness when he learnt that Karachi was the abode of my ancestors,'' he said, adding that the General issued directions for arranging the Karachi trip.

Mr Rohani -- who was born on June 30, 1946 -- said that he visited Kharadar Colony where his ancestral four-storeyed building had stood. ''The moment when I paid tributes to my ancestors I was surcharged with emotion,'' he recalled.

The Speaker said that he also visited the pilgrim spot Katasraj (associated with the Pandavas), Mast Qalandar Dargah in central Sindh and the place in Lahore where fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev passed away besides, paying tributes at Maharaja Ranjit Singh's memorial.

UNI