Rahul accepts Bilawal invite to Pak

The cynosure of all eyes at the four- course Sunday lunch Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted at his 7 Race Course Road residence for Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari were two young guests — Mr Zardari’s son Bilawal, who heads the Pakistan People’s Party, and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi — who sat next to each other.

The two were seen talking to each other throughout the 50- minute lunch. It was revealed later that Bilawal had invited Rahul Gandhi to visit Pakistan soon, and that the latter had accepted the invitation.

Bilawal, 24, now studying history at Oxford’s Christ Church College ( also attended by his grandfather Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto), was named PPP chairperson days after his mother Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in December 2007.

He tweeted soon after the meal: “Prez n I enjoyed lunch with Rahul Gandhi and PM Singh. lovely meal. Much to learn from each other.”

Congress president Sonia Gandhi could not attend due to ill health, and sent her regrets.

The lavish spread included kebabs, biryani and masala dosa.

Dr Singh asked Mr Zardari to pray for peace in both India and Pakistan when he went to Ajmer Sharif immediately after the lunch.

Those present included senior ministers P. Chidambaram, A. K. Antony and S. M. Krishna, top BJP leaders L. K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj, NSA Shivshankar Menon and foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai. Mr Chidambaram could be seen exchanging notes with his Pakistani counterpart, interior minister Rehman Malik.