Sikh pilgrims at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, some 50 km from Islamabad. AP/ PTI
Smita Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 15
India on Sunday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over blocking of access of visiting Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats in that country and even “compelling” the Indian envoy to turn back while he was on his way to a prominent gurdwara there.
A group of around 2,100 Sikh pilgrims are on a visit to Pakistan from April 12 under a bilateral agreement on facilitating visits to religious shrines.
“India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over a block of access for visiting pilgrims to Indian diplomats and consular teams,” MEA official release said, calling it an “inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy”.
The MEA said it was in violation of an established practice under which the Indian High Commission’s consular/protocol team is attached with visiting pilgrims. This helps facilitate consular and protocol duties, like helping out in medical or family emergencies.
Protesting against reported denial of access to the consular team at Wagah railway station and Panja Sahib Gurudwara, the MEA said: “On April 14, the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, who was to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib at the invitation of the Chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), was suddenly asked to return while en route to the shrine, for unspecified ‘security’ reasons. The High Commissioner, who was to greet Indian pilgrims on the occasion of Baisakhi, was thus compelled to return without meeting Indian citizens”.
While an official reaction is expected from Islamabad, sources at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi have claimed that the Indian High Commission was consulted on the issue and envoy Ajay Bisaria was advised to stay away from the event. An official Pakistani source said this was done in view of riled up emotions of Sikhs agitated over the film Nanak Shah Fakir, which was in Haryana and Punjab.
Over 20,000 Sikh pilgrims from across the world are attending Baisakhi celebrations in Pakistan from April 12-21.