6,500 Sikh pilgrims get Pakistan visas for Baisakhi celebrations

Even as ties remain in a freeze, religious tourism between India and Pakistan continues with the latter announcing Monday that on the occasion of Baisakhi celebrations, its high commission here issued over 6,500 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the annual festival scheduled to be held in Pakistan this week.

The pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.

“The large number of visas issued by the Government of Pakistan was a manifestation of our policy to foster harmony and promote understanding between peoples, cultures and religions,” said Charge d’ Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich, adding that Pakistan would continue to facilitate such visits to sacred and holy sites.

Such pilgrim visits to observe various religious festivals/occasions take place under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974.