South Asian leaders attend Vajpayee's funeral

In a mark of solidarity with India, leaders of South Asian nations attended former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's funeral here on Friday.

"When neighbours came together to express the sense of loss on sad demise of a statesman!" External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, acting Pakistan Law and Information Minister Ali Zafar, Nepal Foreign Minister Pradip Gyawali, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali and acting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kiriella were among those who paid their tributes to Vajpayee at his cremation site Smriti Sthal here.

Vajpayee, 93, passed away after a prolonged illness here on Thursday evening.

According to Kumar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also held meetings with Karzai and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Ali and recalled Vajpayee's contributions to ties with their countries.

Sushma Swaraj and Karzai talked about the great role played by Vajpayee in consolidating democracy in Afghanistan, the spokesperson said.

In the meeting between Sushma Swaraj and Ali, the two leaders recalled Vajpayee's contribution in consolidating India's friendship with Bangladesh.

--IANS

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