The Hindu : National : Pakistan pilgrims to arrive next week

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 16, 2004

National

National

Pakistan pilgrims to arrive next week

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR OCT 15. Sixteen pilgrims from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) are expected to arrive in Kashmir in a week's time. Pakistan's Interior Ministry's decision on Thursday to stop their visit had enraged many Kashmiris.

Mohammad Iqbal Mir, a member of the Association of People of Asia, blamed a communication gap for the Pakistan officials' decision to prevent the delegates from crossing the Wagah border. "The delegates could have boarded a train or a bus or even taken a flight" he told The Hindu . ``I got a call today from one of the delegates who said that it may take some time to make fresh arrangements for the trip.'' They were expected to be here in a week's time, said Mr. Mir, who is also the Joint Director of Hospitality and Protocol department of Jammu and Kashmir Government.

Soon after the 16 pilgrims were stopped at the border, the association chairperson, Nirmala Deshpande, took up the matter with the Pakistan government.

The Association was concerned that the decision "would send a very wrong signal" at this juncture.

Ghulam Nabi Khayal, a noted Kashmiri writer and poet, said the visit of Pakistani journalists some time ago was a major breakthrough and opened a new chapter in the history of India-Pakistan relations.

``So there is no point in stopping pilgrims who want to visit sacred places in Kashmir. In fact, such interactions will help the peoples of the two countries to understand each other better.''

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National