Pilgrims urge minister to take note of $50 demand

LAHORE:

The religious affairs ministry stiffened the rules for the pilgrims, intending to visit India for the annual Urs of Hazrat Nazimuddin Aulia in Delhi, demanding $50 from each traveller on the eve of their departures.

The intending pilgrims complained that they faced immense difficulties in arranging the money on very short notice. They said that the ministry administration refused to take the amount in the rupee.

The pilgrims were supposed to travel to India on Monday (today). Before their departure they had been lodged at the Haji Camp, Naulaha in Lahore by the ministry administration.

The pilgrims had already paid Rs40,000 per person to the ministry for the Urs pilgrimage. However, on Sunday, the administration asked them to deposit $50 more, otherwise they would not be allowed to travel.

Since Sunday was a closed holiday, and the ministry officials refused to accept the payment in Pakistani currency, the pilgrims had to buy dollars from the black market. Hence, each pilgrim paid another Rs11,500.

The pilgrims appealed to the religious affairs minister to take notice of the situation and introduce a system to facilitate the travellers instead of creating difficulties for them.

The intending pilgrims will travel to Amritsar via Wagah border. From their they would proceed to Delhi by train. After participating in the Urs celebrations, they would return via the same route on November 13.