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Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev: SGPC sets up centres for pilgrimage to Pak
Providing this information, SGPC secretary Partap Singh said that the SGPC had invited applications and passports from devotees wishing to visit Pakistan to mark Parkash Gurpurb.
After the Union government allowed the Sikh jatha to go to Pakistan to visit the historic gurdwaras on the occasion of Parkash Gurpurb (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has set up district-wise centres for devotees travelling to Pakistan to complete their visa fee payment and other required documentation.
Providing this information, SGPC secretary Partap Singh said that the SGPC had invited applications and passports from devotees wishing to visit Pakistan to mark Parkash Gurpurb. For those who have already submitted their passports at the SGPC office, special centres have been established at various gurdwaras to complete the visa-related formalities, he said.
He stated that devotees from Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, and Pathankot districts should visit the SGPC office’s yatra department at Amritsar on October 7, 8, and 9. Similarly, on October 7, devotees from Kapurthala district should reach local state gurdwara ; those from Sangrur and Barnala districts should visit Gurdwara Nanakiana Sahib, Sangrur; devotees from Bathinda and Mansa should go to Gurdwara Haziratan Sahib, Bathinda; and those from Chandigarh and Mohali should report at Gurdwara Amb Sahib, Mohali.
On October 8, devotees from Jalandhar and Phagwara should visit Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Aman Nagar (near Pathankot Chowk), Jalandhar; those from Patiala and Sri Fatehgarh Sahib should go to Gurdwara Sri Dukhniwaran Sahib, Patiala; devotees from Faridkot, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and Moga should reach Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib, Muktsar; and those from Rupnagar (Ropar) should contact Gurdwara Sri Bhatha Sahib.
On October 9, devotees from Hoshiarpur should reach Gurdwara Sri Kalgidhar Sahib (near Roshan Ground), Hoshiarpur; those from Ludhiana should visit Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Alamgir (Ludhiana); devotees from Ferozepur and Fazilka should report at Gurdwara Sri Singh Sabha (Khalsa Gurdwara), Ferozepur Cantt; and those from Nawanshahr and Banga should visit Gurdwara Charankamal Sahib (Patshahi Chevin), Banga.
The Union government on Thursday granted permission to Sikh pilgrims to undertake a 10-day journey to the Nankana Sahib shrine in Pakistan and mark the birth anniversary, roughly two weeks after it refused permission for the holy trip, citing security concerns.
The SGPC was also unable to send pilgrims to Pakistan for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in June this year due to similar concerns.
After the Pahalgam terror attack, the Union government tightened travel restrictions, barring Indian citizens from travelling to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border checkpost. In response, Pakistan suspended all Saarc Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Indian nationals, with the exception of Sikh pilgrims.
The Nehru-Liaquat Pact of 1950 allows Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan’s sacred shrines on four key occasions — Baisakhi (Khalsa Panth foundation), Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom day, death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary.
