File photo of Ajmer Sharif’s shrine. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: Indian government on Friday said that it cannot guarantee security for Pakistani travellers visiting Ajmer Sharif on Friday, Express News reported.
A handout by the foreign ministry read that the Indian Deputy High Commissioner had communicated to Pakistan about security concerns for Pakistani visitors and advised Pakistanis to cancel their scheduled visit.
As many as 600 people were hoping to travel to Ajmer this month for the annual Urs.
The shrine of Ajmer Sharif is famous because of the spiritual leader Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. It is considered one of the holiest places of worship in India not only for the Muslims but also for the people of other faiths and is a famous tourist spot in the city of Ajmer.
Lately, India-Pakistan relations have been in turmoil over the prison violence and resulting protests that erupted when an Indian spy, Sarabjit, on death row in Pakistani jail was attacked by the inmates and died few days later.
Following the death of Sarabjit, Pakistani prisoner, Sanaullah, in an Indian prison was hit with a sharp weapon and succumbed to his injuries on May 9.
Earlier this year, India and Pakistan ties were hit by a border flare-up that undermined efforts to build trust.
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@Firaaq: "@Ram: Thanks Ram. I completely agree with you." It is so hard to get over the addiction to being suckered by Nehru orphans like Ram. It may be irrational but it feels good to hear hollow, sweet words of promise thrown your way every election time. You have been doing so for the last 66 years and nothing, nothing at all, has changed, has it?. All you got was Sachhar Reports that were canned as soon as they were submitted. Good Luck for the next 66 years!
@Firaaq:
Oh I thought you were a Pakistani. My apologies. Since you are an Indian, I don't care about your religion.
@Ram: Thanks Ram. I completely agree with you. To borrow from networking terminology, our society has immense inherent self healing capability. Divisive thought and xenophobic feeling rises and is quelled by these processes. This happens with every generation.
As an Indian I fully endorse the views and the sentiments of Firaaq. A few reactionary rants by the ill-bred and uneducated keyboard warriors won't change anything. India is a vast country with a million shades and the most of us celebrate and live that life in our way. I can not foresee India changing into a retrogressive reactionary state as the internal dynamics of the society work as a natural barrier against such divisive tendencies. Like elsewhere, religious hatred and nationalistic jingoism run out of gas as idiots are made to become intellectuals (either by 'education' or strong arm of law).
@Firaaq: to Vivek "Our identity as Indians is not by delegation..." True! You may be an Indian by birth but that is a happenstance. You will remain an Indian only if other Indians accept you as one of their own. If they don't, no power on earth can guarantee your citizenship. If you have any doubts about that, ask the Rohingyas and other Burmese and Sri Lankan Muslims who are now roaming the seas in search of a foothold on land. " It is a right that the knickerwallahs can abhor but shall have to endure." Wrong! No one, least of all the knickerwallahs, has to endure anything you may dish out. The British are gone, Gandhi is dead and so is Nehru. The number of Hindu maulvis and maulanas and the Nehru orphans is dwindling. It is better to shape up and try to learn to get along with others so that you may be accepted instead of poking your fingers in the eyes of all and sundry.
@Vivek: Exchange populations - really ?!! Mindless and ignorant chatter dressed to look like a profound argument. Your remarks reek of fascism and quixotic delusions. Indian Muslims are as indian ( if not more) than you and those that espouse your xenophobic views. Our identity as Indians is not by delegation. It is a right that the knickerwallahs can abhor but shall have to endure.
@Firaaq: Yes Firaaq. Inspite of all problems we have, India allows Indians to make and practice their choices.
@Realist: "Firaaq ! Seems like Indians are making sure that you stay home too"Janab Realist Sahib, its not INDIANS, but Pakistani NONE STATE ACTORS, who have made sure, that all Pakistanis stay only at home.
@Naveen
You talk sense my friend. Life is more important than "MERE CURIOSITY". I m not a exhibit in a zoo nor a billion Indians, that they have have to be gawked at and given a certificate by the pakistanis. As for divided families, they made their choice in 1947 and it is over at that. The partition is over, done, and dusted. If at all, we need to exchange the remaining minorities in both the countries to make the partition complete. As an Indian, my first importance is the security and well being of fellow Indians.
@Omar "A superpower can protect its citizens and tourists!!"
Tourist = Yes Terrorist = NO
@Realist
India is my home. So, I am free to visit Ajmer whenever Khwaja gharib nawaz wants me to. Visiting shrines or otherwise is a personal decision. I take exception to people trying to stuff their idea of faith down my gullet. If visiting shrines is "unislamic", I shall pay for it whenever The Lord calls in his notes.
Time is not right to visit Ajmer shrine presently due to security concerns and Indian government I think is incapable to protect Pakistani citizens at this point in time,India doesn't want another Sananullah kind of incident to occur.
@ Adnan: some cannot afford to go to Makkah.
@Syed A. Mateen: Shah sahib, possibility is there, that is why India refusing entry to innocents Sufi type Pakistanis, fearing "NONE STATE ACTORS" in mind. I as Ex Pakistani, endorse that wise decision of India, instead going to war..
@Firaaq: Can you please share what is the need????
@Vivek: Did Mumbai attackers come via immigration office? Talk sense. There are many divided families and many moderate fellows who would like to visit the other side of the border for presenting their side of the story or just for curiosity. Their concerns ought to be prioritised and hate levels ought to brought down to manageable level.
Life is short, let us not waste into hating anybody just because of some smart guys have to make a political fortune out of hate mongering.
@Firaaq:
Seems like Indians are making sure that you stay home too.
Isnt it about time we stopped practising medieval rituals anyway?
Very sad indeed. But the headline is misleading, nothing has been prohibited, only a recommendation has been made because of the prevailing situation.
Pakistan should also stop all hindu & sikh pilgrims from coming to Pakistan, so many RAW agents among them.
that's a nice way to say u r not welcome!!!!!
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder!" - A familiar phrase. Pakistanis, make our hearts grow fonder, please do!
Where are those who call India the "biggest democracy in the world". For those who are dreaming of becoming the next superpower are dreaming, and their dream will remain a dream. A superpower can protect its citizens and tourists!!
@Adnan: Since you don't feel the need to go to a shrine, you are welcome to stay home
I think its wrong .the need of the hour is to open up more social intercourse .Interaction and traffic between the two countries should be allowed for tourism / religion / studies ... Distance begets distance.
What is the need to go shrines??? There can be no holy pilgrimage to a Muslim other than going to Makkah.
This restriction should be extended for ever. These kind of schemes can only be implemented, when you have a functional immigration system in place, wherein an individual whereabouts can be tracked, like for example the USA(who also have a trough time tracking their immigrants). Unfortunately, since India does not have a robust mechanism in place, we should ban all visits from pakistan. Pakistan can ban the potential Indian visitors as well.
This is what I advised to Pakistani pilgrims in one of my earlier comments, not to visit the Shrine of Ajmer Sharif this year, as there is a possibility that there lives would be at risk in India.
Right thing to do. I do feel sorry for Pakistani pilgrims. Non-State actors from Pakistan may attack these Pakistani pilgrims just to make India look bad. If pilgrims are already in India they should be allowed to meet relatives and do what ever they desire as individuals, not as a group from Pakistan.
sensible decision.