With Shimla Agreement in suspension, SGPC cancels Sikh pilgrimage to Pakistan for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Sunday announced that it will not send a Sikh pilgrimage group (jattha) to Pakistan this year to mark the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, on June 27. The decision follows the diplomatic stand-off between India and Pakistan and the suspension of the 1972 Shimla Agreement in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The pilgrimage is undertaken as part of a longstanding arrangement under the Shimla Agreement, which permits Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan four times a year.
Harbhajan Singh Vakta, a representative of the SGPC, confirmed the cancellation on Monday and said, 'Every year, a few 'jatthas' are sent by SGPC to Pakistan for darshan. One of these is the 'jattha' for Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary… Now, the SGPC has decided not to send the 'jattha' this time. We had made an official announcement yesterday. Looking at the situation between the two countries, this time no 'jattha' will be sent,' Vakta said.
There has been no immediate response from Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board, which typically hosts the Sikh pilgrims.
According to the agreement, up to 3,000 pilgrims are allowed to travel for Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary, 1,000 for the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, and 500 for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The sites of religious and historical importance to Sikhs in Pakistan include Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, and Lahore, where Guru Arjan Dev was martyred.
The SGPC's decision follows India's recent diplomatic actions against Pakistan, which included scaling down diplomatic missions, sealing the border, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. These steps were taken after the April 22 Pahalagam terror attack in Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed.
In the last week of April, Pakistan suspended the Shimla Agreement in response to India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, its military action targeting terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), leading to a military conflict between the two nations before a ceasefire was announced on May 10.
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