New Delhi 

This is Mohammed Arshad’s first visit to India; he has come to participate in the Urs of Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, the 13th-century Sufi mystic who is revered across the subcontinent and people of all faiths. Arshad has come from Lahore as part of the group of 60 Pakistani pilgrims who arrived in the capital on Monday afternoon.

Another Pakistani follower of Hazrat Nizamuddin, Zareen said that she found a lot of love in India. She said even as a child she wishes to visit this shrine. She is happy to have fulfilled it.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a ban on the movement of pilgrims between India and Pakistan. However, with the viral infection easing in India, both countries have restarted granting visas to each other’s citizens and the beginning has been made with religious tourism.

India and Pakistan are bound by the 1974 agreement for granting access to places of worship to pilgrims of each other’s citizens.

Pakistani pilgrims have come to India to attend the Urs on the occasion of the 718th birth anniversary of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya from November 18 to 25.

This is Mohammed Arshad’s first visit to India; he has come to participate in the Urs of Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, the 13th-century Sufi mystic who is revered across the subcontinent and people of all faiths. Arshad has come from Lahore as part of the group of 60 Pakistani pilgrims who arrived in the capital on Monday afternoon.  

Arshad says he prayed at the dargah for the lessening of tensions between the two countries and for their good relations. He wishes that people from both sides of the border should keep visiting each other and the visa policy should be simplified, to make travel easy.

Acting Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Aftab Hasan, who accompanied Pakistani pilgrims to the dargah, said that the devotees are coming under the protocol of 1974.

Aftab Hasan said that he hopes that the influx of people from Pakistan will continue in the future as well. These are welcome signs for India-Pakistan bilateral relations. Indian journalist Sidhant Sibal posted this video on Twitter:

What Pakistani pilgrims had to say during visit at Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi: https://t.co/4TzQtUwVdJ pic.twitter.com/sKVq4q8XeT

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) November 23, 2021

Despite the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan, once again religious diplomacy seems to be getting stronger. Last week, the Modi government reopened the Kartarpur Corridor between India and Pakistan for pilgrims.

This decision has been taken keeping in mind the sentiments of Sikh devotees on the occasion of Guru Purab. At the same time, a team of about 2500 Sikh pilgrims has gone on a tour of Pakistan from the Wagah-Attari border.

Also Read: Nizamuddin Dargah livens up for Urs after 2 years

Significantly, due to the 1974 agreement, pilgrims from India and Pakistan can travel to other countries and visit religious places.