LAHORE: As many as 49 Sikhs from India crossed the Wagah border on Sunday, each allegedly on an individual visit to their sacred places.

The travellers will stay in the country for a week during which they will visit their religious sites in Lahore, Narowal, Hassanabdal and Nankana Sahib.

Punjab Rangers and Evacuee Trust Property Board sources said the pilgrims – all travelling individually -- had come to Pakistan on a personal visit. They said they had not received any letter or schedule from the Foreign Ministry in this regard. “The Sikh pilgrims arrived at Wagah border and were allowed to cross after clearance from the immigration department,” they added.

The sources further said their departments did not provide the visitors security because there were no such directions from the Foreign Affairs Ministry. They did not know where the Sikh visitors would stay or go or what their plan was, they added.

Last week, the Indian government had not issued visas to Pakistani pilgrims for visiting the shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer.

The Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad had expressed disappointment over India’s decision not to issue visas to 503 pilgrims intending to participate in the annual Urs of the Sufi saint. The FO statement said the visit was to take place under the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines.

The statement also recalled that “192 Pakistani zaireen could not participate in the Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia” in January, also because of non-issuance of visas by India.

“Despite Pakistan’s offer to send a special train, Indian delays had resulted in Sikh yatrees (pilgrims) from India being unable to participate in the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh,” the FO noted.

It further stated that another 173 pilgrims to Katas Raj had been unable to visit Pakistan because the Ministry of External Affairs of India did not issue them clearance.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2018