ISLAMABAD: Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, India has issued 62 visas to a group of Indian Hindu pilgrims for their visit to Shree Katas Raj Temples, also known as Qila Katas, in Chakwal district of Punjab from 19-25 December.
Expressing his views on the occasion, Charge d’ Affaires Aizaz Khan wished the pilgrims a memorable stay in Pakistan, Pakistan High Commission said in a press release on Monday. Under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, each year thousands of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to attend various religious festivals/occasions. The issuance of pilgrimage visas to them was in line with the Government of Pakistan’s efforts for facilitating visits to religious shrines and promoting interfaith harmony.
The major Hindu temples in Pakistan are Shri Hinglaj Mata temple Shri Ramdev Pir temple (whose annual Ramdevpir Mela in the temple is the second largest Hindu pilgrimage in Pakistan, Umarkot Shiv Mandir (famous for its annual Shivrathri festival, which is one of the biggest religious festivals in Pakistan, and the Churrio Jabal Durga Mata Temple (famous for Shivrathri celebrations which is attended by 200,000 pilgrims. –Agencies
