ISLAMABAD: In a gesture to show its commitment to promoting religious tourism, Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi has issued 84 visas to Indian pilgrims for performing religious rituals and pilgrimage at their sacred sites in Pakistan.
In a statement issued via social media, Pakistan’s High Commission in India announced that the Indian Hindu pilgrims were granted a seven-day visa from December 19 to 25.
It added that during their trip, the pilgrims would travel to the historic Katas Raj Temple located in the Chakwal district of Pakistan, where the visitors will perform religious rites.
Pakistan’s Charge d’ Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich wished the pilgrims a spiritually rewarding yatra and a fulfilling journey, the statement maintained.
The issuance of the visas is in line with the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, established in 1974, according to Pakistani officials.
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.
Facilities for Hindu Pilgrims at Katas Raj
In order to promote interfaith harmony and religious tourism, Pakistan has recently constructed a modern residential facility at the historic Katas Raj Temple complex in Chakwal, Pakistan 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.
Constructed at a cost of Rs183.510 million, the residential block is comprised of 36 rooms with attached washrooms, a kitchen, and a dining hall to ensure a comfortable stay for Hindu pilgrims. This initiative will enhance the experience for devotees visiting one of Hindus most sacred sites.
Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain, who inaugurated the project in the first week of December, also emphasized the significance of Katas Raj as a symbol of Pakistan’s resolve to interfaith harmony and peace.
The minister called for an increase in the current annual quota of 200 Indian pilgrims permitted to visit the site, highlighting the importance of expanding opportunities for religious tourism.
The minister’s remarks come as India is reluctant to increase the number of Pakistani pilgrims to attend annual Urs of Hazrat Khawaja Syed Moinuddin Hasan Chishti (RA) at Ajmer Sharif.
The minister also said that even if India does not increase the number of Pakistani pilgrims to Ajmer Sharif, Pakistan would increase the quota of Indian pilgrims to visit the country.
Katas Raj, the site
The Katas Raj Temple complex, dating from the Hindu Shahis period (615-950 CE), is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is considered one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in Pakistan.
Hindus still regularly visit the site, both from within the country and from abroad. The pond at Katas Raj, where Lord Shiva is believed to have shed two tears upon the death of his wife Sati, is considered sacred by pilgrims.
Hindu Religious Sites in Pakistan
In addition to Sikh and Buddhist sites, Pakistan is home to important Hindu temples, where religious ceremonies and rituals are regularly performed.
Prominent Hindu pilgrimage sites include the Shri Hinglaj Mata Temple in Hingol Park, Balochistan, and the Katas Raj Temple complex in Punjab.
Shri Hinglaj Mata Temple, a key Hindu site, hosts one of the largest Hindu pilgrimages in Pakistan, attracting over 250,000 pilgrims annually. Additionally, the Chandragup mud volcano in Hingol Park is also considered sacred by Hindu pilgrims.
