اردو
  • FO slams India for blocking Sikh pilgrims' entry into Pakistan

    Nafees Zakaria Nafees Zakaria

    Pakistan has slammed the Indian government for restricting Sikh pilgrims from attending the Jorr Mela festival in Pakistan. "India has no respect for human values," the statement from the foreign office said referring to the refusal to send pilgrims to Pakistan.

    Despite issuance of visa by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, several Sikh pilgrims couldn’t enter the country after Indian authorities stopped them at Attari Railway Station on “technical grounds”.

    The pilgrims wanted to participate in the 10-day Jorr Mela held to mark the martyrdom of Arjun Dev Jee, starting from June 9 in Hasan Abdal and other parts of Punjab.

    Addressing the issue on Monday, the spokesperson for the Foreign Office Nafees Zakaria said: "Minorities are continuously mistreated in India."

    "India also has a ban on visas for Pakistanis seeking medical treatment in India," Zakaria noted.

    Taking a broader approach, the spokesman resorted to mentioning India's other alleged atrocities. "India is guilty of using Kashmiris in India Held Kashmir as human shields. They [Indian forces] also target innocent citizens near the Line of Control and Working Boundary," said Zakaria.

    "Pakistan made all arrangements keeping in mind the religious sentiments of Sikhs," Zakaria insisted.

    "We had prepared everything in order to facilitate Sikh pilgrims according to their needs."