Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker and patron of Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani on Wednesday called upon Government of India to ensure protection of worship places of minorities.
He was speaking to media persons on his return from Neelumvalley, where he visited Hindu community’s revered Sharda temple along withRaja Assarmal Maglani, Gopal Das Khamuani, Parshotam Ramani and Engr PremTalreja, the sitting and former office bearers of the PHC, on Tuesday.
When Vandkwani was asked by a reporter on prospects of’religious tourism’ which he said India and Pakistan had agreed to in principleafter launch of intra-Kashmir travel and trade in 2005 and 2008, respectively,he said: “These things are reciprocal.”
Elaborating, he continued: “Whenever the conflicts withregard to human beings see settlement, at least for the time being trade, traveland people to people contact should be allowed to continue and if faith tourismis done on the basis of State Subject Certificate, it will be another goodthing.”
However, he clarified this could not be done in isolation.
“This will have to be given consideration by the communityand governments across the divide,” he said. In the same breath, Vankwani saidPakistan had proved its positivity by opening Kartarpur corridor.
“When I held one on one meetings with Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and (fromer external affairs minister) Sushma Swaraj, I expressedthe same desire of allowing and continuing people to people contact,” he said.
“Magar taali aik hath se nahi bajti. We haven’t receivedpositive response to Kartarpur corridor initiative. Whenever there is apositive response, you will see if they (India) move one step towards us, wewill move two steps towards them. But some issues are done through mutualunderstanding.”
He regretted that India had suspended intra-Kashmir tradeand travel.
In response to a question, he said the army and thedemocratic government in Pakistan were on the same page with regard toadvancing friendly relations with India.
In response to another question, he clarified that Shardatemple was being opened for local (Pakistan based) Hindu community.”Immediately, no such proposal to allow devotees across the Line of Control wasunder consideration,” he said.
Vankwani also made an appeal to Indian government to allowPHC delegation to visit Kashmir.
He thanked the PaK government and people for the “hugeamount of love, care and peace they had received here.”
He said there was a different perception about PaK, butreality was contrary to it.
“The security forces, government and the Prime Minister inperson has shown great amount of interest in restoration of the worship placesof non-Muslims for which we are grateful to them.”