Islamabad: More than 500 Pakistani pilgrims will not be able to visit Ajmer Sharif for religious and traditional pilgrimage after the Indian government denied them visas — a move which has further hit Pakistan and India diplomatic relations.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office has expressed disappointment over the non-issuance of visas by India for the 503 Pakistani pilgrims, who planned to attend the annual religious festival, popularly known as Salana Urs.

“Pakistan notes with deep disappointment the non-issuance of visas by India for the visit of 503 Pakistani zaireen [pilgrims] to participate in the urs of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer Sharif, India, from 19 to 29 March, 2018,” Pakistan’s Foreign Office said.

The Foreign Office said it was “ironic” that the Indian government had denied Pakistanis visas for the urs of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti, “who has for centuries been the symbol of bringing communities closer to each other.”

The pilgrims from Pakistan were to attend the 806th Urs at the saint’s shrine in Ajmer Sharif, Rajasthan, from March 19-29.

Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal, in a statement, said that the visit is a regular annual feature which was to take place under the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines.

In a statement, the Foreign Office spokesperson said India was violating basic human rights by not allowing Pakistanis to attend the religious gathering.

He said “such measures also undermine efforts aimed at increasing people-to-people contacts and normalising relations between the two countries.”

Earlier, the FO said, 192 Pakistani pilgrims could not participate in the Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi from January 1 to 8, also due to the non-issuance of visas by India.

The spokesperson said in 2017, despite Pakistan’s offer to send a special train, due to Indian delays in visa issuing, Sikh pilgrims from India could not participate in the Martyrdom Anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Similarly, in February this year the government of Pakistan had made all arrangements for the visit of 173 Katas Raj Pilgrims, who, regrettably, were forced to withdraw their applications from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.