E-Paper
Takht jathedar stopped from holding ‘ardas’ at Pak border
Sikh devotees on both sides had planned a coordinated event at Dera Baba Nanak to push for Kartarpur Corridor reopening
Prefer HTon Google
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on Monday stopped Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj from holding an ardas (a prayer) for the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor at the India-Pakistan border here, citing strict protocols and prevailing security concerns.
The prayer coincided with the Joti Jot (eternal immersion) Gurpurb of first Sikh master Guru Nanak. Sikh devotees on both sides had organised a coordinated event to offer prayers near the border.
Inaugurated in November 2019 under a bilateral agreement between India and Pakistan, which was extended for another five years in October 2024, the corridor provides visa-free access to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur where Guru Nanak spent his final years.
The movement of pilgrims on the route, which links Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district directly to the Kartarpur shrine, has been suspended from the Indian side since May 7, 2025. The closure was triggered by a breakdown in bilateral ties following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack last year in which 26 civilians, including 25 tourists and a local, were gunned down by terrorists at the Baisran meadow.
In swift retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor in early May 2025, executing targeted strikes against cross-border terror camps. The subsequent military confrontation brought diplomatic relations to an abrupt halt, prompting Indian authorities to immediately shut the Kartarpur passage. Despite frequent representations from Sikh religious organisations, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the Centre told Parliament in August 2026 that corridor services remain suspended indefinitely due to ongoing threat assessments along the border.
On the Pakistani side, a nagar kirtan marched from the Kartarpur shrine to the border, waiting for their Indian counterparts. However, when the jathedar led a group of devotees towards the darshan asthan, a raised viewing platform near the zero line where pilgrims use binoculars to view the shrine, BSF personnel stopped the procession, stating that instructions from senior authorities strictly prohibited access to the point.
Requests by SGPC representatives to permit a small group of devotees to advance and exchange ceremonial offerings, including a Rumala Sahib for Guru Granth Sahib and siropas (robes of honour), were also turned down. Denied access, the jathedar and accompanying devotees sat on the ground and offered an ardas for bilateral peace, regional stability, and the restoration of cross-border access.
Talking to reporters after the prayers, the jathedar voiced disappointment over the restrictions, questioning why ordinary devotees are barred while political dignitaries often get access up to the zero line.
“The governments of both countries must understand and respect Sikh sentiments,” he said, adding that the prayers sought not only the reopening of the corridor but also the resumption of border trade, which he stressed would benefit farmers and traders across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and adjacent regions. The jathedar also announced plans to return to Dera Baba Nanak every month to continue offering prayers until the route is restored.
