Saka Panja Sahib centenary: Three SGPC members among 40 denied Pakistan visa

Others who were denied Pakistan visa included Golden Temple granthi Giani Gurminder Singh, heads of two Darbar Sahib Hazoori Ragi jathas, SGPC additional secretary (dharam parchar) Balwinder Singh Kahlwan, additional secretary Bijay Singh, pilgrimage department incharge Rajinder Singh Rubi

Forty out of 157 members of the Sikh jatha being sent by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to Pakistan for centenary event of Saka Panja Sahib have been denied visa.

It is for the first time in living memory that a religious function is to be held at the historic Hasan Abdal railway station in Pakistan, which witnessed unprecedented sacrifices by Sikhs in 1922 during the Gurdwara Reforms Movement. (HT file)

Among them are three SGPC members (Satwinder Singh Tohra, Khuswant Singh Pannu and Ajmer Singh Khera), Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) granthi Giani Gurminder Singh, heads of two Darbar Sahib Hazoori Ragi jathas (group of traditional gurbani musicians), SGPC additional secretary (dharam parchar) Balwinder Singh Kahlwan, additional secretary Bijay Singh, pilgrimage department incharge Rajinder Singh Rubi, dhadis (ballad singers), kavishers (Sikh preachers who recite historic poems) and two Sikh preachers.

This information was shared by Rubi on Tuesday. He said the main event is being held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib at Hasan Abdal in Pakistan on October 30 to mark the centenary and to attend all the functions being organised there, the jatha is slated to leave for Pakistan on October 28. It is scheduled to return on November 2.

He said the sangat of Pakistan was eagerly waiting for the Hazuri Ragis and other preachers, but denial of visa has disappointed them.