India has raised an alarm over Khalistani sympathisers finding a voice in Pakistan during the visit of Sikh pilgrims to religious shrines on the occasion of Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday lodged a protest with Pakistan over the alleged harassment of Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad and the denial of access to Indian Sikh pilgrims visiting the shrines across the border. The protest comes a day after the two countries agreed to develop a corridor on their respective side of the border to link a historic Sikh shrine in Kartarpur in Pakistan.
The MEA said there were reports of attempts made during the pilgrims' ongoing visit to "promote secessionist tendencies" with an aim to undermine India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
There were reports that pro-Khalistani banners were shown to the Indian pilgrims.
"Pakistan has been called upon to take all measures to not allow its territory be used for any hostile propaganda and support for secessionist tendencies against India, keeping in mind the commitments made under the Shimla Agreement, 1972 and endorsed in the Lahore Declaration, 1999," the MEA said in a statement.
Despite having been granted prior travel permission by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, the Consular officials of the High Commission of India in Islamabad were harassed and denied access on November 21-22 at Gurudwara Nankana Sahib and Gurudwara Sacha Sauda," the MEA said in a statement.
The officials had no choice but to return to Islamabad without performing their diplomatic and consular duties vis-à-vis Indian pilgrims, it added.
New Delhi said this is the third consecutive visit of Indian Sikh pilgrims when Pakistan has prevented the Indian High Commission officials from meeting the Indian nationals on the pretext of security.