Pakistan: The Union Home Ministry cleared approximately 2,100 Indian pilgrims to visit Guru Nanak’s birthplace, Nankana Sahib. However, upon arrival, fourteen of them were sent back after officials in Islamabad determined they were “not Sikh.”
Travelling for the 556th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, an estimated 1,900 of them had entered Pakistan through the Wagah border crossing. It was the first visit since Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir.
The fourteen pilgrims who were denied entry were reportedly all Pakistani-born Sindhis who had acquired Indian citizenship. They were supposed to meet their relatives.
They were allegedly told, “You are Hindu, you cannot go with Sikh devotees.”
According to an NDTV report, the pilgrims walked back “humiliated” after the officials barred them from entering, stating only those tagged in their records as Sikh would be permitted.
The group included Indians from Delhi and Lucknow.
The groups that crossed the Wagah border into Pakistan included Akal Takht leader Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Shromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee led by Bibi Gurinder Kaur, and Ravinder Singh Sweeta of the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee.
The official ceremony will take place on November 5 at Gurdwara Janamasthan, which is 80km from Lahore.
The visiting group of Sikh pilgrims is also planned to visit the Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hasan Abdal, Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Farooqabad, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur during their 10-day stay.
Previously, 300 people who had applied for visas independently were denied crossing at the Indian border because they lacked the required approval from the Home Ministry.
