Though there has been no word from the authorities about Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to the Ajmer shrine, khadims (caretakers) at the shrine remain hopeful.
Last time when late Bhutto visited the shrine, she offered prayers for peace and thanked the mystic saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chishty for release of her husband Mr Zardari. At the same time, she also prayed for a bus service from Ajmer to Nawabshah. Situated on the left bank of river Indus, Nawabshah has been renamed as Shaheed Benazirabad. “She always liked to visit the holy shrine,” said a khadim of the Bhutto family, Sayeed Iqbal Kaptan.
“Bhutto family has a long tradition of visiting the shrine. Benazir’s grandfather late Shahnawaz Bhutto also paid a visit to the Dargah long back,” said Kaptan, who assisted Benazir in performing prayers at the Dargah in 2005.
“Both Benazir sahiba and Asif sahib spent around half-an-hour of solitude at Ajmer Sharif and offered prayers when they visited last time,” he added.
“Ziyarat ke baad unke chehre par aman aur sukun ka noor chaspa ho gaya, (After the prayers, peace and calm was visible on her face)” he said. “I can recall she gifted me $3,500,” Mr Kaptan said. Benazir Bhutto first made a visit to the shrine in 1991 and subsequently she visited in 2001, 2003 and 2005.
“She came here in 2001 and offered prayers for peace in the region. She pleaded for a soft border between India and Pakistan and wanted to remove visa restrictions,” said Sarvar Chishty, who helped Bhutto in her prayers while he was serving as secretary of Anjuman, the body representing khadims.
“She was always willing to visit the shrine,” he said.
The khadims said the dargah has been a source of strength and inspiration for the leaders who campaigned for democracy.