Imran Khan tweet worries Katas Raj-bound Indian pilgrims

IN A RECENT TWITTER POST, THE PAK PRIME MINISTER HAD RAKED UP THE KASHMIR ISSUE; 110 HAVE APPLIED FOR VISA TO VISIT THE SHRINE

AMRITSAR : Even as India and Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire pact, Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent tweet raking up the Kashmir issue has perplexed several Hindu devotees who are set to leave for Katas Raj temples in the neighbouring country to celebrate the Mahashivratri festival.

They have expressed concerns about Khan’s remarks affecting their trans-border pilgrimage as they are yet to get the final approval for travel from the Centre. Days after the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOS) of India and Pakistan announced the implementation of the 2003 ceasefire agreement, Khan said India must take necessary steps to meet the longstanding demand and right of the Kashmiri people.

“We were hopeful in view of the implementation of the 18-year-old bilateral agreement and all the pilgrims were happy. However, Khan reversed the situation by making a remark on Saturday. We don’t know what turn things will take next. The political circumstances are fluctuating. We are not aware of what will happen. But we are still hopeful of the success of the pilgrimage,” said Shiv Partap Bajaj, president of Kendriya Sanatan Dharam Sabha, North India, which organises the pilgrimage.

He said, “Total 110 aspiring pilgrims have applied for the visa to visit the shrine. Now, it is up to the Indian government to take a decision pertaining to the pilgrimage.” As per the schedule, the Hindu jatha will cross over to Pakistan through Attari-wagah border on foot on March 9. After a night stay at Lahore, they will leave the next morning for the temple situated in Chakwal district of Pakistan. The festival will be celebrated on March 11. The jatha will return to Lahore on March 12, where it will observe Shree Lav Maharaj Samadhi festival at Old Shahi Qila and visit historic places on March 13. It will return to India the next day.

“Earlier, only the Union external affairs ministry used to take the final call on the pilgrimage, but now the home ministry is involved in the same and its nod is mandatory as we have also seen in the case of the Sikh jatha that was scheduled to go to Pakistan on February 18 but was denied permission by the home ministry. Our applications are under consideration. Pilgrims belong to around 8 states of the country,” Bajaj added.

Under the Pakistan-india protocol on visits to religious shrines of 1974, a large number of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit the neighbouring country to observe religious festivals every year.