E-Paper
Over 1,900 pilgrims leave for Pak to mark Guru Nanak’s birth anniv
A 1932-member Sikh jatha (group of pilgrims) departed for Pakistan on Tuesday via the Attari-Wagah border to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak and pay obeisance at other historical gurdwaras. This marks the first jatha to travel after Operation Sindhoor, following restrictions imposed by India on cross-border travel
Amritsar: A 1932-member Sikh jatha (group of pilgrims) departed for Pakistan on Tuesday via the Attari-Wagah border to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak and pay obeisance at other historical gurdwaras. This marks the first jatha to travel after Operation Sindhoor, following restrictions imposed by India on cross-border travel.
Approximately 2,200 pilgrims were issued visas for the 10-day pilgrimage, beginning November 4. The celebrations are centered at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
The jatha was seen off at the Golden Temple complex by SGPC members and officials. Akal Takht acting jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj accompanied the pilgrims, who are scheduled to return on November 13.
On arrival in Pakistan, the jatha was welcomed at the zero line by president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and Pakistan Punjab minister Ramesh Singh Arora, besides Mahesh Singh, vice-president of the PSGPC, and senior officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), including additional secretary Nasir Mushtaq, with flower garlands and bouquets.
The SGPC had submitted 1,802 passports for visas of which 1,796 were approved. Apart from SGPC, other Sikh organisations, including Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) also sent groups of the pilgrims. Around 100 pilgrims were denied entry despite holding visas, as they lacked Union home ministry permission, leading to a temporary blockade of the national highway near the border. The blockade was later cleared.
Giani Gargaj thanked both the Indian and Pakistani governments for allowing the pilgrimage and prayed for peace in South Asia.
The Union government granted permission on October 2, two weeks after initially refusing it due to security concerns. Earlier, Sikhs were also barred from visiting Pakistan for Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary in June.
Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India tightened travel restrictions, barring foreign passport holders from crossing the Attari border. Henceforth, only Indian citizens can travel via this route.
During the pilgrimage, the jatha will also visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib (Hasan Abdal), Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur (Narowal), Gurdwara Sacha Sauda, Farooqabad, Gurdwara Dehra Sahib, Lahore, and Gurdwara Rori Sahib, Gujranwala.
The Nehru-Liaquat Pact of 1950 allows Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan’s sacred shrines on four occasions: Baisakhi, Guru Arjan’s martyrdom day, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary and Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary.
