On Wednesday, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi announced that it has issued over 2,100 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India for the upcoming birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The event is scheduled to take place in Pakistan from November 4 to 13.
In a post on X, the High Commission said, “The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued over 2100 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the Birth Celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji.”
Earlier, on October 3, Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa welcomed the Centre’s decision to allow Sikh ‘jathas’ to travel to Pakistan for the occasion. In a video message, he expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister for facilitating the visit despite strained bilateral ties. Sirsa also urged representative bodies, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), to complete all formalities at the earliest.
The ‘jathas’ that used to visit Pakistan to commemorate the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji will also visit Pakistan this year. The Home Ministry clarified this today. I urge all representative organisations, whether it’s the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, or any other organisations whose ‘jathas’ are travelling, to complete this process quickly,” Sirsa said.
Delhi Minister Sirsa expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister of India and the Home Minister, noting their role in maintaining continuity despite tense India-Pakistan relations.
Sirsa added, “I express my deepest gratitude to the Prime Minister of India and the Home Minister of the country, who, despite strained relations, opened the Kartarpur shrine on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash Purab in 2019, without any concern. This time, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have displayed the same sentiment and reverence by issuing a notification allowing Sikh groups to visit Pakistan. I express my gratitude.”
Previously, India granted permission for Sikh Jathas (groups of pilgrims) to travel to Pakistan to participate in the upcoming celebrations of Prakash Purab. The pilgrimage will be undertaken under the framework of the 1974 bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines.
Every year, Sikh pilgrims travel across the border to mark key religious occasions such as Prakash Purab, Baisakhi, and Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The arrangement is part of the longstanding 1974 India-Pakistan agreement, which allows limited pilgrimages despite tense bilateral relations.
In recent years, the Kartarpur Corridor, which opened in 2019 to facilitate visa-free travel of Sikh pilgrims to the Kartarpur Sahib shrine, has become a key channel of religious exchange. However, larger jathas continue to travel under the traditional protocol arrangement.
Security and logistical measures for the upcoming pilgrimage are learnt to be closely coordinated by both the Indian and Pakistani governments to ensure the smooth movement of devotees.
(With ANI Inputs)
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Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
