The brief trip of 62-year-old Ashraf to the 13th century shrine hit a sour note following a boycott by the Dargah's spiritual head in protest against the recent brutal killing and beheading of Indian soldiers by the Pakistani army. Opposing the Pakistan premier's visit, local lawyers, some BJP activists and representatives of markets associations staged protests and shouted anti-Pakistan slogans. "I wish for peace in the world and for peace and prosperity in Pakistan," Ashraf wrote in Urdu in the visitors book after spending 30 minutes at the shrine. Ashraf's visit comes at a time when there is a chill in bilateral ties over the ceasefire violations at the LoC. An Indian soldier was beheaded by Pakistani troops while the mutilated body of another was found in January. New Delhi had lodged a strong protest over the beheading of an Indian soldier and brutal killing of another. According to official sources, Ashraf thanked Indian leadership for facilitating his "journey of faith" to the Ajmer Sharif.
