| Congress President Sonia Gandhi was equally keen to condole Bhutto's family but her visit was ruled out by the Indian government. Mukherjee, however, has not given up hope and is trying to get clearance from the Pakistan government to fly to Larkana, Bhutto's ancestral town, to join the bereaved family. |
| However, after sending repeated requests to Islamabad, the foreign minister would have to wait for at least 24 hours as Islamabad hadn't responded till Friday afternoon. |
| "Benazir Bhutto was one of the tallest leader of Pakistan and as a representative of the people of India, I want to go and convey personal condolences to her family. I am not sure if I can make it," Mukherjee told Business Standard. |
| Even if he is allowed to go on Saturday, the Pakistan High Commission has told him that it will have to be a very short visit and he can't be in Pakistan after sunset or travel at night. Mukherjee can't even travel by helicopters. |
| Mukherjee, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, visited the Pakistan High Commission this morning to sign the condolence book. |
| "To reach Larkana, I have to fly either to Mohenjo Daro or Sukkur and do the rest of the journey by car. It is almost two hours from Mohenjo Daro and 90 minutes from Sukkur. I have been told that security situation along this route is extremely bad," said Mukherjee. |
| "The Centre has been told that helicopters can't be used as the Taliban in that area have anti-aircraft guns that can shoot down a chopper." |
| Gandhi will visit Pakistan after the situation calms down. According to top sources, she will visit Karachi to meet the Bhutto family next month after the government on both sides are confident about her security. Bhutto's family is to come back to their Karachi home after the 40-day rituals. |
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