INTERNATIONAL : Pakistan has put brakes on the journey of Shihab Chottur, who had set out on Haj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, covering a distance of 3,000 kilometers from Kerala in India. Shihab Bhai, a resident of Kerala, started his journey from Kerala in June this year. By the time he reached Wagah border last month, he had traveled about 3,000 kilometers. Shihab had reached Wagah border, but due to lack of visa, Pakistani officers stopped him at the border. On Wednesday, a division bench of the Lahore High Court rejected the petition filed by local citizen Sarwar Taj on behalf of Shihab. The bench said that the petitioner was not an Indian citizen, nor did he have a power of attorney to approach the court.
It is noteworthy that while starting the journey in June, Shihab had said that he would perform Haj in Saudi Arabia in 2023 and for this he has set out on the journey on foot. Actually, on behalf of Shihab, a person from Lahore, Sarwar Taj, had filed an application in the Lahore High Court. In this, a demand was made to give permission to Shihab to go to Saudi Arabia on foot via Pakistan. But the Pakistani court rejected the application seeking permission to 29 year old Shihab.
The court also sought complete information about Indian citizen Shihab, which the petitioner could not provide. The distance from Shihab’s home in Kerala to Mecca in Saudi Arabia is 8,640 kilometers. Out of this, he covered a journey of 3 thousand kilometers and reached Wagah Border. Pakistan immigration officials stopped him at Wagah Border because he did not have a visa. Shihab, a resident of Malappuram district of Kerala, had dreamed of reaching Saudi Arabia in February 2023 via India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and Kuwait, which could not be accomplished because of Pakistan.
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