India protests after envoy denied entry to Pak gurdwara
NEWDELHI/ISLAMABAD: India lodged a strong protest with Pakistan on Saturday after its envoy and other officials in Islamabad were barred from meeting Indian pilgrims at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, the second such incident in a little more than two months.
Indian high commissioner Ajay Bisaria and consular officials were denied entry to the gurdwara at Hasan Abdal, 65 km from Islamabad, even though they had been granted travel permission by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, the MEA said in a statement. The envoy and other officials had gone to Hasan Abdal to meet some 300 Indian pilgrims who are in Pakistan to participate in ceremonies being held during June 21-30 to mark the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Pakistan’s deputy high commissioner was summoned to the external affairs ministry, the MEA statement said.
A “strong protest was lodged at the denial of access to the Indian high commissioner and consular officials…to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib and meet the Indian pilgrims”, the statement said.
India expressed its concerns at “repeated attempts by entities in Pakistan to extend support to secessionist movements in India and incite the Indian pilgrims”, the statement said.
This was the second time Pakistan had barred Bisaria from meeting visiting pilgrims at Gurdwara Panja Sahib.
On April 14, Bisaria was on his way to the gurdwara to meet Indian pilgrims visiting on the occasion of Baisakhi, when he was suddenly asked by Pakistani authorities to return to Islamabad for unspecified “security” reasons.
AMRITSAR: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has condemned Pakistan for not allowing the Indian envoy in Islamabad and consular officials to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib at Hasan Abdal near Rawalpindi to meet visiting Sikh pilgrims.
SGPC president Gobind Singh Langowal said that Pakistan’s action was not fair and that the officials were to meet pilgrims to enquire about their well-being. “It is the duty of Indian high commission officials to meet pilgrims and other Indian people visiting the neighbouring country,” he said.
The 266-member jatha went to Pakistan on June 21 to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on June 29 at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore. They are also supposed to visit other shrines, including Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak.
The pilgrims were staying at Gurdwara Panja Sahib when they were denied permission to meet Indian high commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria and other consular officials. The jatha was also denied to meet the high commissioner in April, when it went there to celebrate Baisakhi.
Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also condemned Islamabad’s outrageous act of refusing to allow India’s high commissioner to enter Gurdwara Panja Sahib.
Terming it a shocking reflection of Islamabad’s blind and senseless animosity against New Delhi, the CM said by bringing religion into its political game plan, Pakistan had stooped to a new low in its relations with India, besides exposing its utter disdain for international and diplomatic conventions.
The CM, who also Tweeted his angst against Pakistan’s cheap and unholy act, said Islamabad had no right to prevent the Indian official from entering the gurdwara, which was a religious place open to everyone and not a military institution with restricted access.
TWO WOMAN PILGRIMS DENIED VISA
Two women who wanted to go to Pakistan with the Sikh jatha without their kin were denied visa.
The development comes two months after Kiran Bala, who went to Pakistan with the Sikh jatha to celebrate Baisakhi, did not return and married a Muslim man in Lahore.
The apex gurdwara body had sent 86 names seeking pilgrimage visa to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore. It has now been learnt that two names were rejected as they wanted go without kin.
SGPC spokesperson Diljit Singh Bedi said: “We cannot stop any Sikh pilgrim from being part of the Sikh jatha. If a woman is over 50 and wants to go alone, she can be permitted provided her kin takes the responsibility.”
“We can only send names, rest is the job of the government and intelligence agencies,” he said.