Friday, May 27 2005 20:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Ahead of his visit to Pakistan, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) President L K Advani today (May 27, 2005) met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi and got an update on the ongoing Indo-Pak peace process.

The two leaders are understood to have deliberated upon the agenda of discussions the former Deputy Prime Minister will have in Pakistan during his week-long visit beginning May 30.

Advani, who will visit Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, is likely to meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and other leaders.

Emerging from the 20-minute meeting, the former Deputy Prime Minister said he considered his visit to Pakistan an important link in the ongoing peace process started by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He appreciated that the process was being carried forward by Manmohan Singh. "It is progressing and the atmosphere between the two countries is improving," Advani said adding he had already been briefed by officials of the External Affairs Ministry.

Advani said he had received an invitation to visit Pakistan long back but could not go due to some unavoidable reasons.