MEA asks Pak to grant visa to the Sikh pilgrims

The strained Indo-Pak relations have received yet another body blow with Islamabad denying visas to 87 Sikh pilgrims who were to travel across the border on the occasion of the Martyrdom Day of the Guru Arjan Dev.

The Ministry of External Affairs has registered its strong protest at Pakistan government’s refusal to grant visas to the official jatha (group) comprising 87 individuals who wished to visit Pakistan on the occasion of Shahidi Jor Mela on June 7.

The visa, sources said, was sought under the bilateral protocol on Visit to Religious Shrines, 1974. The MEA had earlier requested for visa for pilgrims using the same agreement and Pakistan government obliged. This time the official group was denied visa but a restrictive visa was granted to another group of private individuals.

“The MEA expressed its concern at the disregard shown by the High Commission of Pakistan on the religious sentiments and devotion of the Indian pilgrims especially by Pakistan unilaterally granting restrictive visa (by rail only) to a private group of Indian pilgrims,” sources said.

The MEA asked Pakistan High Commission to immediately grant visa to the Sikh pilgrims without any restrictions.

The incident comes to the limelight within hours of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanging pleasantries with his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan at a multilateral summit meeting in Bishkek on Friday.

The comprehensive dialogue between the two neighbours remains suspended since the January 2013 beheading of an Indian soldier close to the disputed boundary in Jammu and Kashmir. A subsequent effort to resume the dialogue also came to nought following a terror attack on Pathankot Air Force base in January 2016.

However, last year the National Security Advisors from the two countries met at neutral venues to discuss cooperation to combat terrorism. The two governments also agreed to take forward the proposal to establish the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor connecting the two Punjabs in either side of the border to facilitate movements of Sikh pilgrims to one of their holiest shrines.

But the bilateral relations nosedived after Pulwama terror attack in February and the subsequent Balakot air raids by the IAF and the dig fight between Indian and Pakistan Air Forces.