Govt may revoke Sikhs’ passports missing from Pak high commission

MEA HAS ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO ITS PASSPORT DIVISION TO REVOKE THE PASSPORTS AND ISSUE NEW ONES TO THE 23 INDIANS

NEW DELHI: The government is learnt to have decided to revoke passports of 23 Indians and issue them anew following reports that the original ones allegedly went missing from the Pakistan high commission here after they applied for visa to visit the neighbouring country.

Official sources said the ministry of external affairs has issued instructions to its passport division to revoke the passports and issue new ones to the 23 Indians. The Indians whose passport went missing belonged to the Sikh community and applied for visa in Pakistan high commission to visit gurdwaras, including the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, in the neighbouring country.

There were apprehensions among the affected people that their passports may be misused. There was no immediate reaction from the Pakistan high commission. The affected people will be issued fresh passports, sources said. Instructions have been issued to take necessary action in the case, they said.

Pakistan issued visas to over 3,800 Sikh pilgrims to participate in the birthday anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak there from November 21 to 30. It is learnt that the 23 Indians, whose passports went missing, had applied for visa to travel to Pakistan along with the group of 3,800 Sikh pilgrims. A number of persons have approached police after their passports went missing.