NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s High Commission in Delhi has issued visas to more than 90 Indian pilgrims to visit two prominent Hindu temples in the country.
The High Commission issued visas to a group of 47 Indian pilgrims on Monday to visit Katas Raj temple in Punjab’s Chakwal district during December 23-20. A group of 44 Indian yetrees went back to India yesterday after visiting Shadani Darbar temple in Sukkur during December 15-21.Lately, a group of 602 Sikh pilgrims from India reached Gurdwara Janam Asthan to participate in the festivities of the 551st birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. One of the Sikh visitors from India expressed gratitude to the Pakistan government for the best travel facilities for the pilgrims.
They returned back to India via the Wagah border crossing on Dec 1st at the end of their pilgrimage.
Agencies add: Pakistan has issued visas to two groups of 47 Indian Hindu pilgrims during December intending to visit Katas Raj temples in Chakwal and Shandani Darbar in Sukkur, High Commission in New Delhi said Tuesday.
The pilgrims will visit Shree Katas Raj Temples, also known as Qila Katas or complex of Katas Temples in Chakwal district of Punjab, Pakistan from December 23-29.
The Katas Raj temples surround a sacred pond to Hindu devotees.
Another group of 44 Indian Hindu Yatrees returned from Pakistan on Monday, where they participated in the 312th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib, at Sukkur, Sindh from December 15-21. More than three centuries old temple, Shadani Darbar, is a holy place for devotees from across the world. The temple was founded in 1786 by Sant Shadaram Sahib, who was born in Lahore in 1708.
Pakistan’s High Commission in a statement said thousands of Indian Sikh and Hindu pilgrims visit Pakistan under the bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, to observe several religious festivals/occasions every year.
It said the visas issued from New Delhi are in addition to the visas granted to Sikh and Hindu pilgrims participating in these events from other countries.
The issuance of pilgrimage visas to Sikh and Hindu pilgrims is part of the Government of Pakistan’s endeavors to facilitate their visits to religious shrines.
“Pakistan remains committed to preserving sacred religious places and extending all possible facilitation for the visiting pilgrims of all faiths,” the High Commission said.–Agencies
