ISLAMABAD: The Indian authorities have issued visas to only 100 Pakistani pilgrims for the annual rituals of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer Sharif, denying visa applications of 400 pilgrims.
According to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Muhammad Umar Butt, India, this year has restricted the number of visas issued far short of the allotted quota of 500.
“These pilgrims will participate in various religious ceremonies at the shrine of the revered Sufi saint, Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, widely known as Gharib Nawaz”, he added.
On the other hand, in a gesture to show its commitment to promoting religious tourism, Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi has issued 94 visas to Indian Hindu pilgrims to perform religious rituals at Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi, Sindh from January 5 to 15, 2025.
Charge d’ Affairs, Saad Ahmad Warraich has said that Pakistan remains committed to preserving sacred religious places as well as providing necessary facilitation to the visiting pilgrims.
Under the Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, each year thousands of Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to attend various religious festivals.
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In November, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued over 3000 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the birthday celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Pakistan.
Last year India issued visas to only 82 Pakistanis for the annual celebration of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya a Sufi saint in New Delhi. The country also turned down the visa applications of 118 Pakistanis who wanted to participate in the upcoming annual celebrations of Hazrat Amir Khusrau in New Delhi and only 80 others were allowed to enter the neighbouring country to attend the event.
In order to promote interfaith harmony and religious tourism, Pakistan has recently constructed a modern residential facility at the historic Katas Raj Temple complex to facilitate Hindu pilgrims visiting the sacred Hindu site from India and other regions of the world.
The newly constructed residential block underscores Pakistan’s commitment to preserving sacred religious sites.
