In news– Recently, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that India is positive and willing to engage in talks with Pakistan on upgrading the 1974 Joint Protocol on Religious Pilgrimages to allow air travel as well as increase the number of shrines pilgrims from both countries could visit.
About the Joint Protocol on Religious Pilgrimages 1974-
- Under this protocol both the countries have agreed on the following principles for facilitating visits to such shrines :
- Such visits from one country to the other shall be allowed without discrimination as to religion or sect.
- The list of shrines to be visited will be finalized shortly through correspondence.
- The agreed list may be enlarged from time to time by mutual agreement.
- Upto 20 parties may be allowed to visit from one country to the other every year. This number may be revised from time to time.
- Every effort should continue to be made to ensure that places of religious worship mentioned in the agreed list are properly maintained and their sanctity preserved.
- Such visitors will be given Visitor Category visas.
- The protocol currently includes five Muslim shrines on the Indian side and 15 shrines on the Pakistani side, a majority of them gurdwaras.
Further reading: https://journalsofindia.com/kartarpur-corridor/
Source: The Hindu
