Pakistan rejects allegation that Indian envoy Ajay Bisaria was denied Gurduwara visit
India yesterday summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Haider Shah and lodged a strong protest over the denial of access to its envoy in Islamabad.
Published: 24th June 2018 06:25 PM | Last Updated: 24th June 2018 10:57 PM | A+A A-
Ajay Bisaria (File | PTI)
Pakistan on Sunday rejected India’s allegations that Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria was stopped from visiting a well-known Sikh Gurudwara, saying that the envoy had agreed to cancel his visit after Sikh pilgrims protested against the release of controversial movies in India.
India had on Saturday summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi, Syed Haider Shah, and lodged a strong protest over Bisaria and consular officials not being allowed to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib and meet visiting Indian pilgrims.
Pakistan was told that preventing the Indian High Commission officials from discharging their consular responsibilities was in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, and the 1974 bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines.
Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal on Sunday tweeted that Sikh pilgrims "were protesting against maltreatment in India & release of controversial movies."
He said the Indian high commissioner was informed about the heightened pilgrim sentiments and he agreed to cancel his visit due to this concern.
Faisal said that more than 300 Indian Sikhs are visiting Pakistan for the death anniversary of Raja Ranjit Singh and a special train was arranged from Attari to Wagah for the Sikh yatris "who are always welcome to Pakistan for their religious and cultural ceremonies".
Earlier, media reports had said that Bisaria and his wife were denied entry by Sikhs protesting over the release of controversial movie Nanak Shah Fakir.
The Supreme Court had in April allowed all-India release of the movie on April 13.
