75 Pakistani pilgrims denied visa by India

NEW DELHI: India has denied visa to 75 Pakistani pilgrims to visit a shrine near Agra on procedural grounds.

Pakistan High Commission officials said the group was denied entry into India to visit the Hafiz Abdullah Shah Shrine near Agra from January 11-18.

"The decision to deny visa was inconsistent with the vision of leadership of both the countries and against the principles of Protocol on Visits to the Religious Shrines, 1974, between the two countries," officials in the Pakistan mission said.

When asked, Indian officials said under the protocol on visits to religious shrines, an organising committee or local authorities were required to extend logistical support to the visa applicants.

However, in this case, no organising committee or local authorities were ready to extend support to the group, officials said.