Shujat Hussain's visit to Jama Masjid

This is a good gesture by Shujat Hussain and Jama Masjid administration.:Salute: What do you guys think about it.**

**Hindus make India secular

**NEW DELHI: A group of Indian Muslim leaders on Friday told former Pakistan prime minister Shujat Hussain that India was a secular country “because of Hindus”. **

** “It is because of the Hindus that India remains a secular country,” a spokesman for the Jama Masjid mosque said. “This is what we told him.” **

** The spokesman said the group, including Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmad Bukhari, met Hussain for about 30 minutes when he came to offer Friday prayers. **

** Later on in a speech laced with political significance, former Pakistan prime minister Shujat Hussain prayed at the historic Jama Masjid and called upon Indian Muslims to integrate themselves fully with the mainstream. **

** Almost six decades after the sub-continent’s partition, Pakistan’s ruling party on Friday gave a formal burial to the two-nation theory by urging Indian Muslims to love their motherland. **

** “You are Indians by choice. So live like Indians. Nobody forced you to stay back (and not settle in Pakistan),” Hussain told a large gathering at the 17th-century red stone mosque in the city’s old quarters. **

** He reminded the gathering in Urdu that Indian Muslims should love their motherland as they stayed back in India,… **

** …rejecting the offer to move over to the newly created Pakistan. **

** “You (Indian Muslims) should do everything for the progress and development of the country,” he said. **

** Hussain, who is president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, is the highest- ranking Pakistani leader to visit the Jama Masjid, which along with the Red Fort across the street was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. **

** The Pakistan Muslim League, although now divided into more than one faction, considers itself the rightful successor to the Muslims League that led the drive for Pakistan’s creation. **

** Hussain also referred to India-Pakistan relations, saying he was optimistic that both countries would be able to resolve all their differences and soon. **

** "I am positive India and Pakistan will resolve their differences. This is also because Indian leaders, be they in the government or the opposition, are in agreement on the issue of overcoming the differences with Pakistan. **

** “When the attitude of the leaders is right, then there can be no hitch.” **

** He also singled out Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for the thaw in India-Pakistan ties,… **

** …“There are impediments in India-Pakistan relations, but Musharraf is determined to do away with them.” **

** The former prime minister, who spent about an hour at the mosque, said: "I am overwhelmed by the hospitality I received. **

** “I bring a message of peace. I bring greetings from Musharraf and the people of Pakistan.” **

** Hussain, who was prime minister of Pakistan from June 30 to Aug 28 last year, was almost mobbed as a crowd flocked to see and shake hands with him. **

** Hussain arrived at the mosque with Pakistan High Commissioner Aziz Ahmed Khan. He was welcomed by the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari. **

** “We pray for peace and prosperity of all countries, be it India, Pakistan or Bangladesh,” Bukhari said. **

** During the violent days of the 1947 partition, the Jama Masjid became a refuge for hundreds of Muslims who fled their homes fearing mob attacks. While many eventually made their way to Pakistan, many more stayed on in India. With some 140 million Muslims, India is home to the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia.**

Re: Shujat Hussain’s visit to Jama Masjid

COUNCIL of INDIAN MUSLIMS (UK)

Pakistan’s Former Prime Minister has Insulted Indian Muslims

London, 2 April, 2005: “Indian Muslims love their country and are as patriot as any of their compatriots and therefore need no sermon from anyone and the least the Pakistanis” Chairman of Council of Indian Muslims – UK (CIM) said in a statement today.

Reacting to an advice to Indian Muslims by the former Pakistani Prime Minister Choudhry Shujaat Husain on a goodwill visit to India to regard themselves as Indians and that they should love India as their country, Munaf Zeena said “it all proves how uninformed and in the dark the Pakistanis are about India and its citizens.”

Before this in December last MQM Chief Altaf Hussain during his visit to Delhi delivered a similar advice to the Indian Muslims and asked them to love their country, “instead of putting their own house in order they are going around lecturing others to be patriots proves that they do not understand what patriotism is. The need to be told about the gallantry of Brigadier Usman, and Abdul Hammed in 1948 and 1965 Indo-Pak wars and the sacrifices of Muslim soldiers during the Kargil.” Zeena said.

“We are surprised at the silence of Imam Ahmed Bukhari at Mr Shujaat’s insulting remarks who allowed him to go unchallenged.” Zeena added.