ISLAMABAD – New Delhi has refused to grant visas to Pakistani pilgrimsintending to attend the Urs of Sufi saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti atDargah Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan.
Reports in local media suggest that nearly 500 Pakistanis were supposed toleave for India to attend the religious event, and almost half of thereligious tourists were not missed visas.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony’s spokespersonrevealed that the Modi-led administration restricted more than 239Pakistani pilgrims to pay homage to the Sufi saint.
Visas for five officials who were supposed to take care of the pilgrimswere also rejected.
The last-moment refusal for issuance of visas has affected the emotionalsentiments of pilgrims leaving them in stress, while Pakistani officialsexpressed dismay.
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New Delhi has violated long-standing protocol on visits to religiousshrines by refusing visas while Pakistan has always facilitated Indianpilgrims to visit their sacred sites to promote interfaith harmony.
This is not the first time as the Indian embassy last year refused visas toseveral Pakistani pilgrims for attending the annual Urs.
