Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Patron-in-chief of Pakistan and Member National Assembly, has announced to start religious tourism on the new year’s eve.
Talking to media before departure to Wagah border for welcoming Indian delegate, he said that an international delegation, consisting of 200 Hindu pilgrims, is visiting Pakistan for 04 days, via Wagah border and Dubai, on the eve of Happy New year, from 1st to 4th January 2022. “This is actually in continuation of the previous historical visit, held in November 2021,” he said, adding that “The primary purpose of Hindu pilgrims, led by Shriman Mahatma Param Nityanand, arriving here is to visit the Samadhi of Shri Param Hans Maharaj / Teri Temple.”
“Every month one delegation from Pakistan will also depart India for visiting Dargah of Khwaja Nizam Uddin Aulia in Dehli and Dargah of Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz in Ajmer Sharif whereas one international delegation will arrive here in Pakistan for visiting religiously significant sites of Hinduism, including the Samadhi of Shri Param Hans Maharaj / Teri Temple and Hinglaj Mata Temple Balochistan,” he stated.
In the first phase, a delegation of Hindu pilgrim is arriving in Peshawar on January 1 via Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai. However, Indian pilgrims will now reach Lahore via Wagah border due to not getting approval from the Indian government. Commenting on it, Dr Ramesh said that Pakistan Hindu Council has reached an important agreement with PIA.
According to which Hindu pilgrims across the world, including India, were to be facilitated on pilgrimage to holy places in Pakistan. However, Indian pilgrims are not allowed by the Indian government to fly on Pakistani airline and that’s why, now they will first arrive Lahore via Wagah and then fly to Peshawar by special flight. “Pakistan Hindu Council has also decided to cooperate with Air India for the provision of transport facilities to Indian pilgrims,” he said, informing that Air India flights will be operated from New Delhi to Peshawar and Karachi next month in February. “The purpose is to provide travel facilities for pilgrimage to Teri Temple and Hanglaj Mata Temple Balochistan,” he told.
According to Dr Ramesh Vankwani, the Government of Pakistan is providing full support in order to promote faith tourism. During the four-day visit to Pakistan, Hindu pilgrims will also visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hassan Abdal, Katas Raj Temple, Raja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi, Minar-e-Pakistan, Shahi Qila and Badshahi Masjid among other historical sites.
Talking about Pakistani pilgrims, he announced that Pakistan Hindu Council would arrange a four-day visit of Pakistani citizens, including parliamentarians, to visit Ajmer Sharif, Dehli and Jaipur after 20th of January. “A series of flights will start from both the countries every month to facilitate religious pilgrims,” he emphasized, adding that Pakistani pilgrims will visit India on the PIA flights whereas Air India will bring Indian passengers here to Pakistan.
He hoped that the promotion of religious tourism could bring the people of the two countries closer together.
