Khalistan flags, posters at gurdwaras in Pak irk India

NEW DELHI: Upset over the presence of Khalistani posters and flags at Sikh pilgrimage spots in Pakistan, the Indian foreign ministry said Pakistan had been called upon to take all measures to not allow its territory to be used for any hostile propaganda and support for secessionist tendencies against India in keeping with the commitments made under the Simla Agreement of 1972 and endorsed in the Lahore Declaration of 1999. One of the posters at Nankana Sahib mentioned Referendum 2020.

The government was upset that despite having been granted prior travel permission by the foreign ministry of Pakistan, consular officials of the Indian high commission were harassed and denied access on November 21 and 22 at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Sacha Sauda to the Indian pilgrims. As a result of such harassment, the statement said, they were compelled to return to Islamabad without performing their diplomatic and consular duties related to Indian pilgrims.

India said it had shared “grave concern” that this was the third consecutive visit of Sikh pilgrims when Pakistan had prevented Indian high commission officials from meeting the visiting Indians on the pretext of security.