India declines visas to Pakistani pilgrims

Pakistan on Saturday regretted India's decision to refuse visas to Pakistanis pilgrims travelling to the country to participate in the Urs of Hazrat Khawaja Nizamuddin Aulia (RA) in Delhi beginning from Monday.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal in a statement said it was a last-minute decision by India to decline the the visas.

This is unfortunate and runs counter to the letter and spirit of the 1974 Protocol and objective of people-to-people contacts, he added.

The spokesperson said such measures also undermine the efforts aimed at improving the environment and normalising relations between the two countries.

The protocol governs visits by the citizens of both countries for religious purposes.

A number of religious pilgrims from both countries are issued visas every year to visit places of religious importance.