The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) summoned the Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan on Friday after an Indian consular team was prevented from meeting pilgrims visiting Nankana Sahib, where a Sikh festival is now being celebrated.
Sources said Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretary in charge of the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division of the MEA, raised the issue at a meeting with Syed Haider Shah.
Official duties
The Indian side conveyed disappointment that the consular team could not meet the pilgrims for performing official duties, despite prior permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Pakistan.
A team of local Sikhs, led by their pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Chawla, prevented the Indian officials from entering the holy sites.
It was conveyed that the opposition to the presence of the Indian officials came more from the fundamentalists, and that Pakistani officials did not play a direct role in the incidents.
The discussion came hours before Pakistan announced that Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the Kartarpur Corridor for the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak in 2019.
Earlier, the MEA issued a note of protest saying that the consular team was harassed and prevented from contacting visiting Indian pilgrims in both Gurdwaras Nankana Sahib and Sacha Sauda.
“We have also expressed grave concern at the reports of attempts being made during the ongoing visit of the Indian pilgrims to Pakistan, to incite communal disharmony and intolerance and promote secessionist tendencies with the objective of undermining India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” a press release stated, indicating that attempts are being made to instil anti-India sentiments among the devotees visiting the holy shrines.
Pakistan has issued around 3,700 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India for the festivities that will cover Nankana Sahib and Sacha Sauda.
India also raised the issue of alleged radicalisation of Sikhs in Pakistan with Deputy High Commissioner Shah. He was reminded that India allowed Pakistani diplomats to meet with the pilgrims from across the border visiting Kalyar Sharif.
