Frosty relations don’t freeze India-Pakistan visas

New Delhi: Even as official ties remain frosty, India and Pakistan are issuing a slew of visas for pilgrims of the other country which is keeping the people-to-people contact alive.

A group of 152 Pakistani pilgrims are currently visiting Kalyar Sharif in Uttarakhand to participate in the annual Urs of Hazrat Khawaja Allauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir (RA) from November 30 to December 7. Earlier, 84 Pakistani pilgrims visited Sirhand Sharif for the annual Urs of Sheikh Ahmed Farooqi Sirhindi, Mujaddid Alif Sani, from November 16 to 23. From India, a group of 119 Hindu pilgrims are visiting the famous Katas Raj Temple in Pakistan on the occasion of Shree Katas Raj Dham from December 1 to 7. Just recently, 107 Hindu pilgrims from India visited Pakistan to attend the 309th birthday celebration of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib at Sukkur from November 19 to 30.

Over 2,600 Sikh pilgrims from India had visited Pakistan in connection with the 548th birthday anniversary of the founder of Sikhism and the First Guru of the Sikhs Guru Nanak from November 2 to 11.

In a statement, the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi said, “A group of 152 Pakistani Zaireen (pilgrims) is currently visiting Kalyar Sharif in the Indian state of Uttarakhand to participate in the annual Urs of Hazrat Khawaja Allauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir (RA) from 30 November-7 December 2017. The ‘Zaireen’ accompanied by officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Pakistan High Commission, laid the traditional ‘chadar’ at Rouza Sharif . The Pakistan High Commission added, “Meanwhile, a group of 119 Hindu pilgrims is visiting Pakistan on the occasion of Shree Katas Raj Dham from December 1- 7, 2017. Earlier, 107 Hindu pilgrims visited Pakistan to attend the 309th birthday celebration of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib at Sukkur from 19-30 November 2017.