Dr. Mohammad Faisal says Bisaria had himself agreed to cancel his visit, following protests by the Sikh pilgrims against the release of controversial movies in India
Pakistan, on Sunday, rejected the Indian charge that its High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria was denied access to a famous Sikh Gurdwara. A Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Dr. Mohammad Faisal said Bisaria had himself agreed to cancel his visit, following protests by the Sikh pilgrims against the release of controversial movies in India.
India had summoned Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Haider Shah and lodged a strong protest over the denial of access to its envoy in Islamabad and consular officials to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib and meet visiting Indian pilgrims. It was conveyed to the Pakistan side that preventing the Indian High Commission officials from discharging their consular responsibilities was in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, and the 1974 bilateral Protocol on visit to religious shrines.
Faisal said Sikh pilgrims "were protesting against maltreatment in India and the release of controversial movies." He said the Indian High Commissioner was informed about the heightened pilgrim sentiments and he agreed to cancel his visit due to this concern.
Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported that a section of Sikh pilgrims had barred Indian High Commissioner and his wife from entering the Gurdwara. The newsreport stated that charged Sikh pilgrims from India also refused to meet the Indian diplomats.
Pakistani officials claimed that Sikhs all over the world were enraged over the Indian Supreme Court's verdict, allowing the controversial film's release. The film was released on April 13 when Sikhs were celebrating their religious festival Baisakhi. Gurdwara management officials said, fearing a verbal altercation at the Gurdwara, they had requested Bisaria and his wife to cancel the visit.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Gurdwara Panja Sahib")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}