Bureau Report
NEW DELHI: Pakistan on Friday issued 2,942 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to attend the birth celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak scheduled to be held in Pakistan from November 6 to 15, a statement from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi said.
“The issuance of visas is covered under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974,” it added.
Every year a large number of Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals and occasions. The visas issued from New Delhi are in addition to the visas granted to Sikh pilgrims participating in these events from other countries.
“The issuance of pilgrimage visas to religious pilgrims by the High Commission is in line with the government of Pakistan’s commitment to fully implement the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines between the two countries,” it added.
Expressing his views on the auspicious occasion, Charge d’Affaires Aftab Hasan Khan, extended his heartfelt felicitations to the pilgrims and wished them a rewarding and fulfilling yatra. “Pakistan takes immense pride in preserving sacred religious places and providing necessary facilitation to the visiting pilgrims,” he added.
During the visit, the pilgrims would, inter alia, go to Dera Sahib, Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. They would enter Pakistan on November 6 and return back to India on November 15, the statement further said.
Last week, the Punjab Cabinet Committee on Law and Order, led by Punjab Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Environment Protection and Cooperatives Muhammad Basharat Raja, approved arrangements and security plan for the 553rd birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism.
The meeting was briefed that 3,000 yatrees from India and 10,000 to 15,000 local Sikh and Hindu pilgrims would participate in the birthday celebrations. Central ceremony of the birth anniversary would be held on Nov 8 at Gurudwara Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib. The arrival of yatrees would start from Nov 6 and they would also pay visit to Farooqabad, Lahore, Aimanabad, Hasan Abdal and Kartarpur Sahib to perform their religious rituals.
Chairman Committee Basharat Raja said that the government would ensure provision of all necessary facilities to the Sikh pilgrims in Punjab. The cabinet committee directed the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) to include additional grant request for purchase of new equipment in the annual supplementary budget while considered the provision of additional funds to police for operations against criminal gangs in Kutcha areas.
Raja Basharat said that 1,675 policemen had been deployed from two districts of Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur in Kutcha area. The Punjab Police had requested the cabinet committee to approve the amount against expenses in recent by-elections; however, the committee observed that only emergency expenses could be presented for approval at that forum.
“The Punjab police should approach the provincial government for by-election expenditures amount,” said the chair.
The meeting was apprised that 100 applications for release on parole came for approval in the Parole Board of the Home Department, out of which 34 applications have been approved. Basharat Raja said that it was not appropriate for the Parole Board to reject 46 applications out of 100.
“By releasing prisoners on parole, the burden on prisons could be reduced,” remarked Raja. The Cabinet Committee decided to reconstitute the Provincial Parole Board and give representation to Police, Special Branch and CTD. Raja Basharat said that meritorious prisoners have the right to be released on parole under the law. –Agencies
