Pak disappointed at India for not issuing visas to pilgrims

Pakistan on Monday expressed disappointment for India not issuing visas to more than 500 Pakistani pilgrims for visiting the famed shrine of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer.

The visit was to take place under the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines and is a regular annual feature, Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

“Pakistan notes with deep disappointment the non-issuance of visas by India for the visit of the 503 Pakistani Zaireen (pilgrims) to participate in the Urs of Hazrat Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti (RA) at Ajmer Sharif, India from 19-29 March 2018,” the statement said.

In New Delhi, sources said such visits are facilitated and promoted and visas granted after following due processes. However, from time to time, such visits cannot take place in view of the prevailing circumstances and absence of requisite security clearances. There have been instances in the past when such visits did not take place from both sides, they said.

Earlier 192 Pakistani pilgrims could not participate in the Urs of Hazrat Khawaja NizamuddinAulia in Delhi from 1-8 January due to the non-issuance of visas by India, it said.

TheForeign Office said that during 2017, despite Pakistan’s offer to send a special train, Indian delays had resulted in Sikh pilgrims from India being unable to participate in the Martyrdom Anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

“Besides being violative of the bilateral Protocol of 1974 and the basic human right to religious freedom, such measures also undermine the efforts aimed at improving the environment, increasing people-to-people contacts and normalising relations between the two countries,” the Foreign Office said.

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