Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A 200-member international Hindu delegation would arrive in Pakistan on Saturday, via Dubai and Wagah border, to visit their sacred places and historical sites including Samadhi of Shri Param Hans Ji Maharaj/Teri Temple.

Talking to media before departure for Wagah border to welcome the delegation, Pakistan Hindu Council Patron-in-Chief Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani said the visit would continue from January 1-4. Dr. Ramesh said that the government of Pakistan was providing full support to promote religious tourism in the country. During the four-day visit to Pakistan, Hindu pilgrims would also visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hassan Abdal, Katas Raj Temple, Raja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi, Minar-e-Pakistan, Shahi Qila, and Badshahi Masjid among other historical sites.

He said Pakistan Hindu Council would also arrange a four-day visit of Pakistani citizens, including parliamentarians to Ajmer Sharif, Dehli, and Jaipur after January 20. “A series of flights will start from both the countries every month to facilitate religious pilgrims,” he disclosed. Pakistani pilgrims would visit India though the PIA flights whereas Air India would bring Indian passengers to Pakistan. He expressed the hope that the promotion of religious tourism could bring the people of the two countries closer to each other.

Dr. Ramesh said “every month one delegation from Pakistan side would also leave for India for visiting Dargah of Khwaja Nizam Uddin Aulia in New Dehli and Dargah of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz in Ajmer Sharif. While one international delegation would also arrive in Pakistan for visiting religiously significant sites of Hinduism, including the Samadhi of Shri Param Hans Ji Maharaj / Teri Temple and Hinglaj Mata Temple Balochistan,” he said.

Dr. Ramesh said Pakistan Hindu Council had reached an important agreement with PIA according to which Hindu pilgrims across the world, including India, were to be facilitated on pilgrimage to holy places in Pakistan. However, he said Indian pilgrims were not allowed by the Indian government to fly on Pakistani airline and that was why, now they would first reach Lahore via Wagah border and then fly to Peshawar by special flight.

“Pakistan Hindu Council has also decided to cooperate with Air India for the provision of transport facilities to Indian pilgrims,” he said, informing that Air India flights would be operated from New Delhi to Peshawar and Karachi next month in February.