After thousands of Sikhs, over 50 Hindu pilgrims, including women, arrived in Pakistan on Sunday from India to attend religious festivities in Sindh.
According to the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Amir Hashmi, “as many as 51 Hindu pilgrims arrived in Pakistan via Wagah border where officials of the ETPB received them.”
Hashmi said the pilgrims also include women and they left for Sindh province on special buses in high security to take part in their religious festivities.
“The pilgrims will visit temples in Mirpur Mathelo, Sukker and Ghotki during their 10 days stay in Pakistan,” he said, adding the pilgrims will not be allowed to visit any other places. It is pertinent to mention here that the majority of Pakistan’s Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with their Muslim fellows.
Talking to the media at Wagah, the group leader of the visiting Hindus, Yudeshtar Lal, said they have brought a message of peace and love and stressed for enhancing people-to-people contact. He appreciated the Pakistan government’s decision to open some of the centuries-old temples in the country.
Last month, the Pakistani government handed over centuries-old historical Shawala Teja Singh Temple in Sialkot to the Pakistan Hindu Council for worship after the completion of its renovation.
Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country.
