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Punjab: Record 7,500 Sikh pilgrims seek visas to visit gurdwaras in Pak for Guru Nanak Parkash Purb
A delegation of the SGPC, led by president Harjinder Singh Dhami, met senior Pakistan high commission official Syed Ahmed Waraich in New Delhi on Monday and submitted a memorandum requesting that the prescribed quota be relaxed in view of the unprecedented demand
More than 7,500 Sikh devotees have submitted their passports to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) seeking visas to visit historic Sikh shrines in Pakistan for the Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak in November.
A delegation of the SGPC, led by president Harjinder Singh Dhami, met senior Pakistan high commission official Syed Ahmed Waraich in New Delhi on Monday and submitted a memorandum requesting that the prescribed quota be relaxed in view of the unprecedented demand.
The delegation included SGPC member Rajinder Singh Mehta, former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Paramjit Singh Sarna, Manjit Singh GK, SGPC secretary Balwinder Singh Kahloon and manager Rajinder Singh Ruby.
Dhami said every Sikh cherished the desire to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of the first Sikh Guru. He urged the Pakistan high commission to adopt a generous approach and issue visas to all, or at least the maximum possible number of, devotees whose passports have been submitted through the SGPC.
Under the bilateral arrangements governing visits to religious shrines, around 3,000 Sikh pilgrims are permitted to visit Pakistan on four religious occasions each year — Baisakhi, the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan, the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
Dhami said that normally around 1,800 pilgrims whose names are forwarded by the SGPC receive visas for the pilgrimage during the Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak.
He said the demand had increased amid the recent denial of visas to some Sikh groups and the closure of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.
Describing the figure as a reflection of the community’s deep religious sentiments, Dhami said the pilgrims wanted to pay obeisance at historic gurdwaras and reconnect with places associated with Guru Nanak and Sikh history.
The SGPC president also appealed to the Government of India to take up the matter with Pakistan and make efforts to facilitate the visit of the maximum possible number of Sikh pilgrims. He reiterated his demand for the immediate reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.
The latest demand follows a record response to the Baisakhi pilgrimage in April 2025. Pakistan had issued 6,751 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims last year, while nearly 5,800 devotees participated in the 10-day pilgrimage. The SGPC had received passports from around 6,500 applicants for the Baisakhi visit.
The pilgrimage plans for 2026 also come against the backdrop of strained India-Pakistan relations following the Pahalgam terror attack, which had cast uncertainty over cross-border religious travel.
During the meeting in New Delhi, Dhami presented Pakistan High Commission officials with a commemorative golden model of Sri Harmandir Sahib and a shawl as a mark of respect.
