Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday arrived in Islamabad by an Indian Air Force plane to attend the three-day South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit, which begins on January 4.

His Pakistani counterpart Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali received him at the airport.

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Jamali walked up to the aircraft as Vajpayee came down the stairway escorted by Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Shiv Shanker Menon.

The two leaders warmly shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

The Indian PM was accorded a tri-services guard of honour as the national anthems of the two countries played.

After the guard of honour, Jamali escorted Vajpayee to the latter's armoured black BMW specially brought from India.

Before entering the car, the two shook hands and waved for the cameras.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri, Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, who is also minister-in waiting, and Foreign Secretary Riaz Khokhar were also there to greet Vajpayee, who arrived in Islamabad after 27 years.

His arrival was telecast live by Pakistan Television, which ran a profile of the Indian leader, including his educational background, his political career and his important role in advancing interests of South Asia.

At the end of the laudatory remarks, the channel also hoped that there would be a breakthrough in Indo-Pak ties.