New Delhi: Even with bilateral relations Pakistan To stay in deep cold, India is looking to build on the goodwill created by religious tourism, by expanding the list of places of pilgrimage agreed to allow the visit of pilgrims from both sides. India, in a note verbal on Friday, proposed to Pakistan saying that pilgrims should also be allowed to travel by air.
The government on Friday said it has a positive view on the issue and is ready to involve Islamabad. India believes that the early implementation of the proposal will help both Sikhs and Hindus who are willing to visit pilgrimage sites in Pakistan.
The Ministry of External Affairs also confirmed on Friday that India would soon start supplying wheat to Afghanistan via Pakistan.
“As you are aware, under the 1974 Protocol between India and Pakistan, visits to religious places are being carried out regularly. There is interest on both sides to expand the list of agreed pilgrimages and the mode of travel. But protocols naturally need to be discussed,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam. gardener,
“I would underline that India has a positive stand on this matter and is ready to hold talks with the Pakistani side,” he said.
The official also said that, as the pandemic situation normalises, India hopes to use this time for discussions under bilateral protocols. “We hope that the exchange of visits to all the pilgrimage sites of interest to the pilgrims will be possible soon,” he said.
Since the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor last year, both the countries have been looking to facilitate the travel of pilgrims. Pakistan last month issued visas to 112 Indian pilgrims, allowing them to visit a Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab.
Religious tourism and humanitarian issues have kept diplomats on both sides busy even in the absence of any significant bilateral engagement between the two countries. Pilgrim visits under the 1974 protocol have continued despite occasional disruptions as in 2018, when India refused visas to Pakistani pilgrims following clashes over the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. A Mechanism to Facilitate Religious Tourism was one of the 5 agreements that PM Narendra Modi Arrived in 2015 with his then counterpart Nawaz Sharif In a bilateral meeting in Russia.
India is also currently working with Pakistan to supply wheat to Afghanistan through the Attari-Wagah land route. The government on Friday said it expected to start deliveries soon and was committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
Bagchi said, “The process of procuring the wheat and arranging for its transportation is going on now. Naturally, it takes some time. We will share as soon as we have updates. We hope to do it soon. will do.”
The government on Friday said it has a positive view on the issue and is ready to involve Islamabad. India believes that the early implementation of the proposal will help both Sikhs and Hindus who are willing to visit pilgrimage sites in Pakistan.
The Ministry of External Affairs also confirmed on Friday that India would soon start supplying wheat to Afghanistan via Pakistan.
“As you are aware, under the 1974 Protocol between India and Pakistan, visits to religious places are being carried out regularly. There is interest on both sides to expand the list of agreed pilgrimages and the mode of travel. But protocols naturally need to be discussed,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam. gardener,
“I would underline that India has a positive stand on this matter and is ready to hold talks with the Pakistani side,” he said.
The official also said that, as the pandemic situation normalises, India hopes to use this time for discussions under bilateral protocols. “We hope that the exchange of visits to all the pilgrimage sites of interest to the pilgrims will be possible soon,” he said.
Since the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor last year, both the countries have been looking to facilitate the travel of pilgrims. Pakistan last month issued visas to 112 Indian pilgrims, allowing them to visit a Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab.
Religious tourism and humanitarian issues have kept diplomats on both sides busy even in the absence of any significant bilateral engagement between the two countries. Pilgrim visits under the 1974 protocol have continued despite occasional disruptions as in 2018, when India refused visas to Pakistani pilgrims following clashes over the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. A Mechanism to Facilitate Religious Tourism was one of the 5 agreements that PM Narendra Modi Arrived in 2015 with his then counterpart Nawaz Sharif In a bilateral meeting in Russia.
India is also currently working with Pakistan to supply wheat to Afghanistan through the Attari-Wagah land route. The government on Friday said it expected to start deliveries soon and was committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
Bagchi said, “The process of procuring the wheat and arranging for its transportation is going on now. Naturally, it takes some time. We will share as soon as we have updates. We hope to do it soon. will do.”
,