Pak issues visas to 88 Indian pilgrims to visit Katas Raj temples

The Pakistan High Commission on Thursday said it has issued visas to 88 Indian pilgrims to visit the famous Katas Raj temples in the country's Punjab province.

In November and December, the Pakistan High Commission here said it has issued visas to two groups of Indian Hindu pilgrims to visit their religious sites in Pakistan.

A group of 57 Indian pilgrims has already returned from Pakistan where they participated in the 311th birth anniversary celebrations of Shiv Avtari Satguru Sant Shadaram Sahib at Sukkur in Sindh from November 24 to December 5, the Pakistan High Commission said in a statement.

The second group of 88 Indian Hindu pilgrims was issued visas on Wednesday for visiting Katas Raj temples, also known as Qila Katas or complex of Katas temples, in Chakwal district of Punjab from December 13 to 19, it said.

Katas Raj temples surround a pond which is considered scared by the Hindus.

Under the Pakistan-India protocol on visits to religious shrines of 1974, a large number of Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals every year.