Calcutta: It won’t exactly be categorised as a Confidence Building Measure, but is definitely going to be viewed as an excellent gesture ? from both sides.

Team India manager Raj Singh Dungarpur, who heads the Mumbai-located Cricket Club of India (CCI), offered Pervez Musharraf honorary life membership and the Pakistan President accepted it “straightaway.”

It happened on Friday afternoon when Musharraf hosted a reception for both the visiting and home teams. He’s also chief patron of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“The President conveyed his acceptance even before I’d completed saying what I had to? He was enthusiastic and we, at the CCI, are absolutely honoured,” Raj Singh told The Telegraph.

Speaking from Islamabad, the former Board chief and chief selector confirmed that Musharraf will be the first Head of State to figure on the membership rolls.

“As matters of protocol are involved, I’m going to seek the help of the PCB chief Shaharyar Khan in sending across the membership card and a formal letter,” Raj Singh added.

Incidentally, former British Prime Minister John Major is among the honorary life members. But, then, he got the card after Tony Blair succeeded him at 10 Downing Street.

Footnote: The ceramic memento (bearing portraits of 12 Pakistani greats) presented to Musharraf came courtesy the CCI.