Indian Sikhs visiting Pakistan on ‘individual yatra’: report

LAHORE: Around 49 Sikhs from India entered Pakistan on Sunday, in order to pay a visit to their sacred places in the country, according to a local media outlet. 

During the week-long visit, the pilgrims will visit their religious sites in Lahore, Narowal, Hassanabdal and Nankana Sahib.

The Punjab Rangers and Evacuee Trust Property Board sources told the publication that this pilgrimage is on an individual basis as they had not received any letter or schedule from the Foreign Ministry in this regard. The pilgrims were allowed to cross after clearance from the immigration department.

According to the publication, security has not been particularly arranged for the pilgrims as no such instructions were received by the concerned departments from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and their plan was not confirmed. Last week, the Indian government had not issued visas to Pakistani pilgrims for visiting the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer.

The Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad had expressed disappointment over India’s decision not to issue visas to the pilgrims intending to participate in the annual Urs of the Sufi saint. The FO statement said the visit was to take place under the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines.