ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is mulling option to bar the persons from otherreligions accompanying the Sikh pilgrims to the country.
After two Indian pilgrims violated the rules of pilgrimage visa by leavinga Sikh jatha recently, Pakistan is planning to bar people of other faithsfrom accompanying Sikh jathas which visit the country to celebratereligious festivals in various gurdwaras.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which is the government body tomanage affairs of Hindu and Sikh shrines in Pakistan, has initiateddeliberations to impose a ban on Muslim, Hindu or Christian devotees toenter Pakistan as members of the Sikh jatha.
Imran Gondal, spokesperson and deputy director of ETPB, said the matter ison the level of discussion and the board is seriously thinking in thisregard in view of the act of two pilgrims—Kiran Bala and Amarjit Singh—whocame along with a Sikh jatha from India via Attari-Wagah border on April 12but did not return with it on April 22.