At a time when most other India-Pakistan exchanges have been suspended, even a simple resolution forwarded by Pakistan to India by the Pakistan Hindu Parishad allows pilgrims from both countries to avoid the cumbersome journey by air travel. It takes a jump to be allowed to do. Islamabad-Delhi relations are now probably at their worst in times of peace, with no political dialogue at the bilateral or multilateral level for more than five years. After several terror attacks, India has stopped normal communication and cultural exchange, and following the government’s move on Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has closed all trade relations. Both sides have shortened their diplomatic missions. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has ensured that the borders are almost sealed for two years, with few direct routes operating between them. Even the movement of pilgrims was cancelled, but in a conscious effort by both the governments to make an exception for faith-based travel – as was done for the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019, the same The year both countries were almost gone. War on Pulwama attack. Religious exchanges, mainly of Muslim pilgrims from Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs from India, are governed by a protocol signed in 1974, and allowed to continue.
While routes for Sikh pilgrims from Indian Punjab to Pakistani Punjab province are relatively easy, hundreds of Indian and Pakistani pilgrims proceed to visit Hinglaj Mata Temple in Balochistan, Paramhans Temple in Khyber on the Wagah/Attari border. Pakhtunkhwa, Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan, Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi and other such pilgrimage centers face more winding routes. To avoid extra time in travel, the Pakistan Hindu Parishad, which has now signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to facilitate faith-based tour groups, has said that PIA charters from Karachi and Lahore be allowed to fly directly to Indian. In cities this week, also with a view to allowing reciprocal air charters from India. This will be the first time that such air travel has taken place in years, and for the first time pilgrims will be given this facility. Since groups of pilgrims from both sides are screened before the yatra is allowed, this precedent is not likely to pose any additional security threat. In an environment full of tension, such people-to-people initiatives can only help in building goodwill to some extent. There has been no apparent harm to national interests from other such recent steps initiated by both the governments, such as the announcement of the LoC ceasefire in February, or the decision to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor in November, or the T20 World Under Government approval for cricket. Cup as well as other sporting events. While the government’s reactive position may be to decline the request, it may be prudent to give the proposal some deliberate consideration.
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