Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi today issued 136 visas to Indian Hindu pilgrims for visits to their religious sites in Pakistan.
The group of Indian Hindu pilgrims is visiting Pakistan to participate in the 313th birth anniversary celebrations of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib, at Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi, Sindh from 4-15 December.
Shadani Darbar, 300 years’ old temple, is a sacred place for Hindu devotees from across the globe. The Shadani Darbar was founded in 1786 by Sant Shadaram Sahib, who was born in Lahore in 1708.
Under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, thousands of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals/occasions every year.
The visas issued by the Pakistan High Commission are in addition to the visas granted to Hindu and Sikh pilgrims participating in these events from other countries.
The issuance of pilgrimage visas to Hindu and Sikh pilgrims is in line with the Government of Pakistan’s efforts for facilitating visits to religious shrines. It’s also reflective of Pakistan’s respect for religious places of all faiths and efforts for promoting interfaith harmony, the high commission said in a press release.