ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has condemned the last minute postponement and non-issuance of visas by India for the visit of 192 Pakistani Zaireen, to participate in the Urs of Hazrat Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia (RA) in Delhi.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Muhammad Faisal, in a statement on Saturday, said the visit was to take place under the provisions of the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines and is a regular annual feature.
“As a result of this Indian decision, the Pakistani pilgrims will be deprived of the opportunity to participate in the Urs beginning from Monday, the spokesperson added. Muhammad Faisal said, “this is unfortunate and runs counter to the letter and spirit of the 1974 Protocol and objective of people-to-people contacts.”
The spokesperson said such measures also undermine the efforts aimed at improving the environment and normalising relations between the two countries.
Earlier this year, despite Pakistan’s offer to send a special train, Indian delays had resulted in Sikh yatrees (pilgrims) from India being unable to participate in the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the statement added.
“Besides being violative of the bilateral protocol, 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 normalizing relations between the two countries. It is ironic that this was done on the occasion of urs of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya who was a symbol of bringing communities closer to each other,” concluded the FO in its statement.
The decision comes just two days after Pakistan freed 145 Indian fishermen as a goodwill gesture amidst a war of words between New Delhi and Islamabad over the circumstances of the meeting between convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and his family. Pakistan had allowed Jadhav’s wife and mother to meet him on “humanitarian grounds”.
Bharatis don’t trust their own citizens. These poor people wish to tell their neighbors about the kind of miserable life they are leading. May Allah help them reduce their miseries.Ameen..
“Bharatis don’t trust their own citizens. These poor people wish to tell their neighbors about the kind of miserable life they are leading. May Allah help them reduce their miseries.Ameen..”…HAVE YOU EVER LOOKED ON A MIRROR?
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