Commerce minister to accompany Musharraf

President Pervez Musharraf has directed Pakistan's commerce minister to join him in his three-day visit to New Delhi, sparking off speculation that he planned to discuss economic and trade issues with Indian leaders, besides Kashmir.

Officials here said Humayun Akhtar Khan has been asked to put off his proposed visit to Latin American countries and accompany Musharraf on his April 16 to visit New Delhi to watch the India- Pakistan cricket match besides holding talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on its sidelines.

Khan was scheduled to attend a conference abroad around the same time but Musharraf's secretariat has asked him to be on hand to travel with the president to New Delhi, Pakistani daily Dawn said.

The issue of Iran-India gas pipeline project through Pakistan, which was bogged down due to concerns openly raised by us secretary of State Condoleeza Rice during her recent visit to India and Pakistan, was also expected to come up during talks between Musharraf and Singh.

During his last visit to India in 2001 to attend the Agra summit, the Pakistani president took only the then foreign minister Abdul Sattar with him.

India-Pak trade is an issue Musharraf is very familiar with as he had recently met many Indian trade delegations, including that of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).