136 Hindu pilgrims from India issued Pakistan visa to visit religious sites

LAHORE: As many as 136 Hindu pilgrims from India have been issued Pakistani visas to visit their religious sites in the country, ARY NEWS reported.

According to details, the pilgrims will participate in the 313th birth anniversary celebrations of the Hindu saint Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib.

The three-day annual festival from 14 December will take place at the Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi in the Ghotki district of the Sindh province. The Hindu pilgrims will return to India on December 15.

Shadani Darbar, founded by Sant Shadaram Sahib in 1786, is a sacred place for Hindu devotees across the globe.

“Issuance of pilgrimage visas to Hindu & Sikh pilgrims is in line with the Government of Pakistan’s efforts for facilitating visits to religious shrines,” the high commission said in a statement.

“It’s also reflective of Pakistan’s respect for religious places of all faiths and efforts for promoting interfaith harmony.”

Today, Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued 136 visas to Indian Hindu pilgrims for visit to their religious sites in Pakistan. 1/4@ForeignOfficePk @FMPublicDiploPK @epwing_official @GovtofPakistan

— Pakistan High Commission India (@PakinIndia) December 1, 2021

This is not the first time that Pakistan has issued visas to Indian pilgrims despite the same has not been reciprocated from the other side.

Last month, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued around 3,000 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to participate in Baba Guru Nanak’s 552nd birth anniversary celebrations in Kartarpur.