South Asian leaders recall peacemaker
REMEMBERING THE STATESMAN Bhutan king, Pak PMelect, Afghanistan expresident, Bangladesh, Nepal PMs pay tributes
There is a void in the Late Vajpayee was a politics of South Asia visionary statesman after his death. There can with impeccable integrity be political differences but and dedication. He will be the desire of peace remains remembered for his present... We stand with sagacity and exemplary India in this difficult time selfless service to... people IMRAN KHAN, Pakistan PM-elect KP SHARMA OLI, Nepal PM
Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and other South Asian leaders attended the funeral of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday while many others paid rich tributes to the departed leader, recalling his contributions to regional peace.
Nepal foreign minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, were among those who attended the funeral. While Pakistan sent law minister Ali Zafar to pay homage to Vajpayee, Sri Lanka was represented by acting foreign minister Lakshman Kiriella.
Vajpayee, who passed away here on Thursday at 93, was cremated with full military honours at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal on Friday, when tens of thousands paid their final tributes.
“There is a void in the politics of South Asia after his death. There can be political differences but the desire of peace remains present across the border. We stand with India in this difficult time,” said Pakistan Prime Minister-elect Imran Khan.
Vajpayee took political risks in mending ties with Pakistan. He attended the SAARC summit in Islamabad and took a bus ride to Lahore to help improve the ties with the neighbouring coun- try, however, the ties soured with Pakistan’s military aggression in Kargil.
“Vajpayee was a renowned statesman who contributed to bringing a change in India-Pakistan relations and remained a key supporter of SAARC and regional cooperation for development. The Government and people of Pakistan extend their heartfelt condolences to his family and to the Government and people of India,” stated an official message sent by Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs.
Vajpayee paid close attention to the ties with Bhutan both as a foreign minister and Prime Minister. Bhutan issued orders to fly its national flag half mast on Friday, as a mark of respect to Vajpayee.
The Bhutanese king also visited the headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party and placed a wreath on the body of Vajpayee.
Former President of Afghanistan
NEW DELHI:
Hamid Karzai, who had worked closely with Vajpayee after the fall of the Taliban rule in Kabul in 2001, recalled that the departed leader was “the first to offer us civilian planes, airbuses at the time we were starting out”.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, too, fondly recalled her country’s longstanding ties with Vajpayee, who had supported Dhaka during the 1971 Liberation War.
“Atal Bihari Vajpayee was our great friend and highly respected in Bangladesh,” Hasina said.
Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said, in Vajpayee’s death, Nepal has lost a “true friend and well wisher”.
In the message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Oli stated that late Vajpayee was a “visionary statesman with impeccable integrity and dedication, who will be remembered for his sagacity and exemplary selfless service to the people of India.”