India objects as Pakistan bars Sikh pilgrims from meeting Indian envoy

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India objects as Pakistan bars Sikh pilgrims from meeting Indian envoy
India objects as Pakistan bars Sikh pilgrims from meeting Indian envoy

Lahore : India has launched a strong protest against Pakistan for barring Sikh pilgrims from meeting an Indian High Commissioner and staff.

A group of 1800 Sikhs have been travelling in Pakistan from April 12 , under a bilateral agreement on facilitating visits to religious shrines. 

As per standard practice the Indian high commission's consular team is attached with visiting pilgrims, to perform consular and protocol duties, like helping out in medical or family emergencies. 

This year, the consular team was denied access to Indian Sikh pilgrims.

The team was first stopped from meeting the pilgrims on April 12 during their arrival at Wagah Railway Station. On April 14, they were barred from meeting them at a Gurdwara Panja Sahib.

India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan against this inexplicable diplomatic discourtesy, pointing out that these incidents constitute a clear violation of the Vienna Convention of 1961, the bilateral Protocol to visit Religious Shrines, 1974 and the Code of Conduct (for the treatment of diplomatic/consular personnel in India and Pakistan) of 1992, recently reaffirmed by both countries.