India lodges 'strong protest' with Pakistan

India yesterday lodged a "strong protest" against "denial" of access to its top diplomat and consular officials in Islamabad to visit a Sikh shrine and meet Indian pilgrims in that country.

The protest was conveyed to the Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi who was summoned.

The Indian High Commissioner and consular officials wanted to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Pakistan and meet the Indian pilgrims but were not allowed despite a travel permission having been granted by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

A strong protest was also registered by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad at the incident.

This is the second time that Pakistan has denied access to Indian High Commissioner to meet the visiting pilgrims who are Indian nationals, the previous occasion having come in April this year.

"It has been conveyed to Pakistan side that preventing the Indian High Commission officials from discharging their consular responsibilities is in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the 1974 bilateral Protocol on visit to religious shrines," the MEA said.

"Concerns have also been conveyed at repeated attempts by entities in Pakistan to extend support to secessionist movements in India and incite the Indian pilgrims and Pakistan authorities asked to ensure that no such activity is carried out from Pakistan soil," it added.