ISLAMABAD: Pakistani pilgrims await visas from India for participation in the annual Urs of Ajmer Sharif scheduled to begin from March 19.
Ministry of Religious Affairs is concerned about the departure of 500 pilgrims on 18th of March, who want to attend the Urs at the shrine of Ajmer Sharif.
An official is reported to have said that there is a 1947 pact between Pakistan and India regarding religious and tourist activities which secures the issuance of special visa to the nationals of both countries for pilgrimage and religious celebrations.
Despite of the fact that the agreement bounds India to issue visas to 500 Pakistanis every year for the participation at the annual Urs of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz, Indian High Commission has not issued visas in this regard.
Therefore, visitors have been advised to not travel to Lahore until the final announcement. With only two days left, pilgrims are running out of time. Every year, about 500 pilgrims depart from Pakistan to attend the Urs of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz. In 2017, India refused Pakistani pilgrims to attend the Urs of Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia which is held in Delhi. Furthermore, 200 Hindu pilgrims were restricted to reach Pakistan for attending the Hindu festival which was held in February, 2018. The pilgrims were supposed to take part in Maha Shivratri celebrations, according to a Hindu leader. He said, “The move constituted a violation of the aforementioned protocol”.
Published in Daily Times, March 17th 2018.
