Sindh: Indian Hindus Get Chance to Visit Ancestral Home During Religious Festival
Photo Courtesy of Muhammad Ahmed@Flickr
A group of over 70 Indian Hindu pilgrims have been issued visas to celebrate the birthday of a Sindhi saint in seven different places throughout Sindh. The devotees greatly appreciated the opportunity to visit their ancestral homelands – some of them after not having been there for over 70 years.
Below is an article published by The Indian Express:
Over 70 Hindu pilgrims from India have arrived here to participate in 308th birth anniversary of Sant Shada Ram in Sindh province. The Evacuee Trust Property Board officials received the pilgrims at Wagah border Tuesday [22 November 2016]. “Seventy-one Hindu pilgrims, including 17 women, arrived here yesterday to take part in festivities on the birth anniversary of Sant Shada Ram in Mirpur Khas,” ETPB spokesman Amir Hashmi said. He said the ETPB, which looks after the holy places of minorities in Pakistan, has ensured foolproof security for the visiting Hindu pilgrims. He said the board has arranged the visit of the pilgrims in seven cities of Sindh.
Hashmi said Pakistan had issued visas to 84 Indian applicants. Of them, 13 did not come here due to reasons best known to them.
“My father who had 2,000 acre land, left his village close to Mirpur Methaleo during partition. After 70 years, I am fortunate to get opportunity to visit our ancestral place. This visit has brought me immense joy and spiritual satisfaction,” one of the visiting members Bansi Lal said, adding both governments should facilitate people-to-people contacts and make visa process hassle free.
The Hindu pilgrims will return to Lahore on December 2 [2016] and leave for India next day.
