Wednesday, April 13 2005 21:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: An agreement on some more confidence building measures (CBM) and a joint statement between India and Pakistan are expected after discussions between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who makes a three-day visit to India beginning Saturday (Apr 16, 2005).

Heading a 45-member delegation, he will fly straight to Ajmer on Apr 16 for offering prayers in the Ajmer Sharif before he begins his official part of the visit.

Musharraf, who had to skip the visit to Dargah after the Agra Summit in 2001, will be accompanied by his wife Sehba and will land in Jaipur on April 16 morning. From there he would go by a helicopter to Ajmer for paying obeisance at the Dargah of Kwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

According to his schedule being given final touches, the Pakistan President will reach Delhi late in the afternoon for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also hosting a dinner for him on Saturday night.

Sources indicated that the CBMs that may be agreed upon relate to more bus services between the two countries, including one from Kasur in Pakistan to Indian Punjab and between Jammu and Sialkot.

The inclusion of Defence Secretary Lt Gen (Retd) Tariq Wasim Ghazi in the delegation has fuelled speculation that the discussions could cover the Siachen issue on which a limited agreement was reached at the official-level talks last year (2004).

On Sunday, Musharraf will witness the one-day Indo-Pak cricket test match to be played in New Delhi. Officials do not rule out discussions between Musharraf and Singh being carried over to Sunday.

Foreign Minister Kurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Commerce Minister Humayun Aktar Khan, Information Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Minister of State for Youth Affairs Md. Ali Durrani and Minister of State for Religious Affairs Amir Liyaqat will be part of the delegation.

National Security Adviser Tariq Aziz, who has already held discussions with Indian Government's representative S K Lambah, is also part of the delegation.

Officials accompanying the President will include Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan, Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Tariq Wasim Gazi and commerce secretary Tasnim Noorani.

A 35-strong media contingent is also on the President's entourage.