Indian youth sets out on Haj pilgrimage on foot, Pakistani man moves court for visa

Lahore: A Pakistani man on Wednesday challenged in the Supreme Court the decision of the Lahore High Court which rejected the plea of ​​a 29-year-old Indian national requesting a ‘transit visa’. This Indian national wanted to enter Pakistan so that he could travel on foot to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for Haj.

Pakistani person gave this argument

petitioner and Lahore Sarwar Taj, a resident, argued in his petition that the Pakistan government had issued visas to a large number of Indian Sikhs during the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and on other occasions and Hindus were not allowed to visit holy places in the country (Pakistan). facility was provided. He said that similarly it should give (transit) visa to an Indian Muslim who wants to reach Saudi Arabia on foot for Haj.

Shihab set out on foot from Kerala in June itself
Shihab Chottur set out on the 8,640 km journey on foot from his home town in Kerala in June to reach Haj in 2023. He was supposed to pass through Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Kuwait during the journey. However, he was stopped by Pakistan immigration officials at the Wagah border in October as he did not have a visa. Shihab argued before the immigration authorities that he was going on Haj on foot and covered a distance of 3,000 km and should be allowed to enter the country on humanitarian grounds.

Transit visa required to reach Saudi Arabia via Iran
He wanted a transit visa to reach Saudi Arabia via Iran. Last month, a division bench of the Lahore High Court dismissed an appeal to the Taj filed by Shihab. The court had said, “The petitioner does not belong to an Indian citizen, nor does he have the right to have a lawyer to approach the court.”