SGPC expresses dismay at Pak's denial of access to pilgrims

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has expressed dismay at Pakistan not allowing the Indian envoy in Islamabad and consular officials to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib and meet visiting Indian pilgrims.

SGPC president Gobind Singh Langowal said today that Pakistan's action was "wrong" and that the officials were to meet pilgrims to enquire about their well-being.

"Moreover, it is the duty of officials of the Indian High Commission to meet the people of their country but Pakistan was wrong in preventing them from meeting the pilgrims," he said.

India today summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over the incident.

Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah was summoned and a strong protest was lodged over the denial of access to Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria and consular officials to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Pakistan's Punjab province and meet the Indian pilgrims despite a travel permission from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Meanwhile, SGPC additional secretary Daljit Singh Bedi said no woman below the age 50 would be allowed to visit Pakistan alone.

They can be allowed only after getting undertaking of their family members, he said.

In April, a woman from Punjab, Kiran Bala, who had gone to attend Baisakhi festival, married a Pakistani man in Lahore and embraced Islam.