Pakistan train refused entry to Attari, Sikh jatha returns

ATTARI: A jatha of 150-odd Sikhs, planning to visit Pakistan for a 10-day religious trip of historical gurdwaras to observe martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, had to return home on Friday after the external affairs ministry denied permission to a train from Pakistan to enter Indian side of border at Attari.
“Pakistan had offered to run the train on June 14 and had sent a message on the issue via the Wagah station master. The message reached the Attari station master and was communicated to the railway ministry, which in turn informed the external affairs ministry (MEA) for necessary instructions,” divisional railway manager, Firozpur division, Rajesh Aggarwal told TOI.
“However, the MEA denied permission for the train to pick up the pilgrims, stating that it was not a properly routed proposal,” Aggarwal added.
So, the pilgrims who have permission to enter Pakistan only on train have no recourse now unless the two countries give them permission to visit Pakistan by road. The trip, as of now, is unlikely to ahead. Even Samjhauta Express only runs between India and Pakistan twice a week.
The Sikh pilgrims had arrived at Attari international border on Friday morning to board the special train that was to arrive at Attari international railway station from Pakistan. However, the Pakistani train remained stationed at Wagah (Pakistan) railway station as it did not get permission to enter India.
The denial of permission to the train caused resentment among the pilgrims who staged a demonstration at Attari international railway station and criticized the central government for allegedly creating obstacles in performing their religious rituals.
The long wait for permission and no information on the Indian side led to fraying tempers and anger amongst the pilgrims. Talking to TOI, an elderly Sikh devotee, Darshan Singh said nobody knew why India was not giving permission to the train to enter Attari. “We have been told that train has come up to Wagah railway station and is waiting for permission from the Indian side,” he said and added that everyone was highly disappointed as now they would not be able to undertake pilgrimage to Pakistan. “Deliberate attempts are being made to create obstacles in fulfilling our religious aspirations that too by our own leaders,” the angry man added.
Angry that ‘Guru ki Sangat’ was being harassed, another devotee, Gurdev Singh said the central government should have not allowed them to apply for visas according to the martyrdom anniversary programme chalked by Pakistan on the basis of Nanakshahi calendar adopted in 2003.
“They should have stopped us earlier. Now visas have been issued and we are ready to board the train but Indian Railways is not allowing it to enter India,” he said.
Leader of Nankana Sahib Sikh Yatree Jatha, Swaran Singh Gill, said he along with other Sikh devotees was highly disappointed on returning from Attari.
Former PSGPC president Bishan Singh told TOI over phone from Wagah that a lot of senior PSGPC office-bearers as well as the Evacuee Trust Property Board officials were waiting for the Sikh jatha at Wagah. He said that India should have given entry to the Pakistani train so that the devotees could observe the martyrdom anniversary pending solution on the contentious Nanakshahi Calendar issue.