The Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) ‘faith tourism trip’ to India through chartered flights beginning from Saturday has been postponed due to rising cases of COVID-19. PHC chief patron Ramesh Vankwani on Friday said that the tour has been postponed for the time being after the Government of India’s request due to the rising cases of COVID-19.
India on Friday said there is an interest on both the Indian and Pakistani sides to expand the agreed list of shrines and mode of travel under the 1974 protocol for visits to religious places, asserting that it has a positive approach on the matter and is willing to engage with Islamabad on it. PHC has proposed to fly 160 Pakistani Hindu pilgrims from Karachi to Jaipur on Saturday.
The assertion comes days after Vankwani who is a member of the National Assembly from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's ruling party, urged India to issue visas to a delegation of pilgrims to visit the country as part of his faith tourism initiative between the two neighbours.
Responding to a query, the Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "As you are aware, under the 1974 Protocol between India and Pakistan, visits to religious shrines are being facilitated regularly. There is an interest on both sides to expand the agreed list of shrines and mode of travel." It naturally needs to be discussed under the protocol, he said.