India lodges protest over Pakistan preventing Sikh pilgrims from meeting IHC

New Delhi/Islamabad: India and Pakistan on Sunday engaged once again in a fierce war of words, with New Delhi lodging a strong protest with Pakistan over “blocking of access” for visiting Indian Sikh pilgrims to Indian diplomats and consular teams.

New Delhi is also furious that Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria was asked by the Pakistanis to return enroute while travelling to the famous Panja Sahib Gurdwara on grounds of “security”. Islamabad has, however, denied these allegations and in turn accused India of “distorting and misrepresenting facts”.

Pakistan claimed the Indian High Commission and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) in Pakistan had mutually agreed to cancel the High Commissioner’s visit beforehand as some Sikh pilgrims from across the world gathered in Pakistan were agitated over the film Nanak Shah Fakir on the first Sikh guru and founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak, which incidentally has generated controversy over its release in India.

Islamabad also claimed it had “resolved” the issue of access and given clearance for Indian officials to meet the Indian Sikh pilgrims at Wagah on April 12 but the Indian high commission officials did not return.