Some Pak Hindus, Sikhs on religious visa didn’t return fearing persecution: Govt

According to the government, some Pakistani nationals belonging to Hindu and Sikh communities, who came on pilgrim visa, have not returned to their country fearing religious persecution.

Some Pakistani nationals belonging to Hindu and Sikh communities, who came on pilgrim visa, have not returned to their country fearing religious persecution, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

File photo of Pakistani Hindus, seeking Indian citizenship, queued up to get their passports verified by the deputy commissioner in Jalandhar, Punjab. (Pradeep Pandit / HT File)

Minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju said the government in 2015 had issued stringent conditions for grant of group pilgrim visa with groups being limited to 50. The group leader was made responsible for reporting to police.

“Pilgrim visa is granted to Pakistani nationals to visit religious shrines in India. It has been reported that some Pakistani nationals belonging to minority communities in Pakistan, mainly Hindus and Sikhs, who came to India on Group Pilgrim Visa have not returned to Pakistan on the ground of religious persecution in Pakistan,” he said.

Rijiju said there were no specific inputs whether some pilgrims intentionally got lost.

“The Central government has issued detailed instructions on July 28, 2015 laying down stringent conditions for grant of Group Pilgrim Visa to minority communities in Pakistan to visit religious places in India,” he said.