NEW DELHI: In a gesture to show its commitment to preserving sacred religious sites, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued 87 visas to Indian Hindu pilgrims for their visit to Pakistan to celebrate the 316th birth anniversary of Shiv Avtari Stguru Sant Shadaram Sahib.
The event will take place at the Shadani Darbar in Hayat Pitafi, Sindh, from November 24 to December 4.
In the statement via its X account, the High Commission emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to preserving sacred religious sites and providing all necessary support to visiting pilgrims.
@PakinIndia has issued 87 visas to Indian Hindu pilgrims for their visit to Pakistan to participate in the 316th Birth Anniversary Celebrations of Shiv Avtari Stguru Sant Shadaram Sahib, at Shadani Darbar Hayat Pitafi, Sindh from 24 November to 04 December 2024.@ForeignOfficePk
— Pakistan High Commission India (@PakinIndia) November 22, 2024
Charge d’Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich conveyed his best wishes to the pilgrims, hoping for a rewarding and fulfilling journey.
The issuance of the visas is in line with the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, established in 1974, said Pakistani officials.
Under the Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, each year thousands of Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to attend various religious occasions and festivals.
Religious tourism
Shadani Darbar, more than three hundred years old temple, is a sacred place for Hindus from across the world.
The Shadani Darbar was founded in 1786 by Sant Shadaram Sahib, who was born in Lahore in 1708.
Pakistan is blessed with a multi-layered trove of tourism. The country possesses a magnificent blend of religious, cultural, and natural tourism opportunities.
There are renowned sites belonging to Sikhism and Buddhism in Pakistan. The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) reported that there are about 480 tourist destinations in the country out of which around 120 are religious sites.
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There are many Hindu and Sikh temples and Buddhist temples and stupas in Pakistan.
Major Hindu temples in Pakistan include Shri Hinglaj Mata temple at Hingol Park, Shri Ramdev Pir temple in Tando Allah Yar, the Shiv Mandir at Umarkot, and the Shri Panchmukhi Hanuman Mandir.
Pakistan unveils free online visa for Sikhs from US, UK, and Canada
Pakistan authorities said that they are taking a number of steps to provide necessary support to visiting Sikh and Hindu pilgrims.
On October, 31 of the current year, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told a delegation of Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan that they have introduced an online visa application system particularly designed to facilitate Sikh visitors.
Holders of American, UK and Canadian passports can apply online and receive their visas within 30 minutes, he said.
He told them that the government of Pakistan wants to open more Sikh heritage sites, including those beyond Hasan Abdal, Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur, and Lahore, removing the need for special permits to visit these sites.
In 2021, Pakistan opened the Kartarpur corridor as a visa-free crossing, permitting Indian Sikhs to visit the temple just 4km inside Pakistan where Sikh’s founder Guru Nanak died in 1539.
