Shardha Peeth to be opened by Kashmiri Pandits as per Center's decision

An organisation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits on Tuesday welcomed the reported decision by the Pakistan government to open Shardha Peeth for Hindu pilgrims from India and said it will go by the Centre's response to it. The All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) has been demanding reopening of the ancient temple of Shardha Mata located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"The organisation has decided to take a cautious stand over the reported decision by the Pakistan government to open Shardha Peeth temple for Hindus on the pattern of the Kartarpur Sahab Corridor. We will go by the decision of Government of India in order to protect national interest," APMCC national spokesman King C Bharati said. APMCC chairman Vinod Pandit chaired a meeting here which was convened to discuss the Pakistan government's decision to open the ancient temple for Hindu pilgrims from India.

"While our organisation has been fighting for more than 16 years for the reopening of Shardha Peeth, we do not want to jump the gun in ecstasy and instead would go with whatever decision the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi take keeping national security and interest in mind," Bharati said.