PHOTO: AFP
The Ministry of Religious Affairs has asked to apply for the Urs by April 23. If the number of applicants exceeds the required quota which is 200 then balloting will be held on May 11 to select the pilgrims through lucky draw.
Meanwhile, the ministry of religious affairs and interfaith harmony is also all set to apply for the visas of another 200 intending pilgrims for the Urs of Hazrat Amir Khusuro, which is going to be held from June 28 to July 5 in New Delhi, India.
India denies visas to Pakistan pilgrims
The move comes amid hope that India would allow Pakistani pilgrims to travel to New Delhi after Islamabad recently granted visas to 1,700 Sikhs for attending the Baisakhi festival.
Religious tourism and bilateral ties between the two nuclear-tipped neighbours have suffered in recent months due to simmering tensions.
An official privy to the development told The Express Tribune that despite India’s refusals, Pakistan is fully committed to fulfilling its due responsibility of encouraging religious tourism and people-to-people contact under the 1974 protocol.
“The recent example of this is that Pakistan openheartedly welcomed over 1,700 Sikh yatrees from India to attend Baisakhi festival and provided them full security and made best arrangements for their visit,” said the official.
The official said that even the arrival of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan was kind of a message from India that it is also looking forward to reviving religious tourism.
New Delhi forced pilgrims to take back visa requests
He said that the ministry of religious affairs will apply for the visas in connection with the Urs of Hazrat Amir Khusuro by the end of May or in the first week of June.
“Therefore, after that Pakistan will have a clear picture about India’s stand towards accepting the visas of Pakistani pilgrims,” he said.
Foreign Office
Earlier Pakistan’s Foreign Office rejected Indian allegations of “incitement” of Sikh pilgrims.
The Foreign Office spokesperson in a statement issued here on Tuesday said that Pakistan categorically rejects Indian allegations of “attempts to incite Indian pilgrims” on the issue of ‘Khalistan.’
India has chosen to deliberately stoke further controversy around the visit of Sikh pilgrims who are attending the Baisakhi and Khalsa Janamdin ceremonies in Pakistan.
Pakistan welcomes Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from all over the world, including India. Authorities in Pakistan have made arrangements to extend maximum facilitation to the visiting Sikh Yatrees. The members of the Sikh community appreciate the assistance and cooperation extended to them during their visits to sacred places in Pakistan.
India stops 200 Hindu pilgrims from coming to Pakistan
The Sikh community has been protesting against the Government of India for screening a controversial movie in India, which hurt their religious sentiments. These protests had started in India and other parts of the world before the Sikh Yatrees arrived in Pakistan.
“The Government of India should respect international and inter-state norms, respect all religions, especially minorities, and refrain from indulging in pointless provocation which only vitiates an already charged environment to the detriment of all,” the foreign office statement said.
With regards to the explicit refusal of the Sikh Yatrees to meet Indian officials, the Indian High Commissioner cancelled his visit on April 14. Indian attempts to distort the truth and obfuscate facts are unethical and regrettable.
It is ironic that the country whose highest officials are on record for statements against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan choose to indulge in blatant hypocrisy by twisting facts.
“We remain committed to continuing such cooperation, which is in line with our religious ethos, traditions of hospitality…No amount of Indian propaganda could succeed in turning this right into a wrong,” the statement said.
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