India lodges protest with Pakistan for denying envoy access to pilgrims

New Delhi: India on Saturday lodged strong protest at denial of access to the Indian High Commissioner and consular officials of the Indian High Commission to the visiting Indian pilgrims.

The Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan was summoned on Saturday and a strong protest was lodged at the denial of access to the Indian High Commissioner and consular officials of the Indian High Commission to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib and meet the Indian pilgrims despite a travel permission having been granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. A strong protest was also registered by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad at the incident.

This is the second consecutive time, Pakistan has denied access to Indian High Commissioner to meet the visiting pilgrims who are Indian nationals.


Indian organizers, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), when contacted, have expressed grave concern and dismay at the incident. The request was struck down, despite several visiting Indian pilgrims urging Pakistan organisers to facilitate a meeting with Indian High Commissioner and High Commission officials.

It has been conveyed to Pakistan that preventing the Indian High Commission officials from discharging its consular responsibilities is in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, and the 1974 bilateral Protocol on visit to religious shrines.

"Concerns have also been conveyed at repeated attempts by entities in Pakistan to extend support to secessionist movements in India and incite the Indian pilgrims, and Pakistan authorities asked to ensure that that no such activity is carried out from Pakistan soil," MEA pointed out in a statement.