Gandhi, Bhutto families turn nostalgic during first meeting

Raghavendra

Beijing, Aug 9 (PTI) The mood was sombre and nostalgic as
the Gandhi and Bhutto families came face to face for the first
time here Friday after a terrible symmetry in the lives and deaths
of two political leaders from their clan.
Pakistan's Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, accompanied by sisters Bakhtawar and Asifa, met India's ruling UPA coalition Chairperson Sonia Gandhi with her children Rahul and Priyanka at Marriott Hotel. Benazir Bhutto and Rajiv Gandhi - former prime ministers of Pakistan and India - had met violent ends.
The scions of the dominant political families from India
and Pakistan were in the Chinese capital to witness the opening
ceremony of the Olympics at the invitation of the ruling
Communist Party of China. They spoke of the need for
better understanding between India and Pakistan.
During the 30-minute interaction, UPA chairperson and Congress
Party President conveyed her condolences to 19-year-old Bilawal and his sisters over the assassination of their mother.
The two families reminisced the tragedies suffered by
them due to political violence, sources said.
"Both sides also called for better understanding between
the two countries," they said.
Sources in the Pakistani side also made similar remarks
and said no politics was discussed during the informal
meeting.
Gandhi had fallen victim to a suicide bomber after a
public meeting in 1991 while Benazir Bhutto was assassinated
in similar circumstances in December last year.