Srinagar: Welcoming the decision of the Pakistan government to facilitate access to Sharda Peeth in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PaK), senior Congress leader and former union minister Saifuddin Soz said the temple is precious cultural heritage for the people of Kashmir.

Prof Soz in a statement here on Tuesday afternoon said, “It is several years before that I had joined the struggle for safeguarding the temple in Pakistan and taken up the matter with the Union government to intervene in the matter and ensure a regular pilgrimage to the Sharda Temple.’ 

‘As recently as November 30, 2018, I had strongly pleaded with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, keeping the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) informed,’ he said, adding that since Pakistan had indicated that it would have no difficulty on opening the road to Sharda Temple, the Union government should immediately approach Pakistan to ensure a regular pilgrimage to the temple.

“I will continue to work for a regular pilgrimage to Sharda Temple in collaboration with Save Sharda Temple Committee Kashmir, and try in my humble way to bring peace and relief to the hearts and minds of Kashmiri Pandits and others”, he said.

Prof Soz said, ‘I consider Sharda Temple to be a part of rich Cultural Heritage of Kashmiris.’