Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniv: Uncertainty over Sikh pilgrims' visit to Pak
Amritsar : Uncertainty looms over the visit of 500 Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh — to be observed on June 30 — following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
According to a pact between the two nations, 500 pilgrims are allowed to visit Pakistan on the death anniversary of the Maharaja. The SGPC quota is 300, while 200 pilgrims are sent by other Sikh bodies.
After the Pahalgam terror attack, the Union government imposed restrictions on Indian citizens travelling to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border and suspended all types of visas, with certain exemptions.
In response, Pakistan canceled all visas under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) issued to Indian nationals — except for Sikh religious pilgrims. A statement issued by Pakistani authorities instructed Indian nationals in Pakistan under SVES to leave the country, excluding Sikh pilgrims.
Palwinder Singh, in-charge of SGPC's pilgrimage department, confirmed that 326 names have been submitted for visa processing. 'We have prepared and sent the lists to the Punjab government and other authorities. The pilgrims can travel only if the Union government grants permission,' he stated.
As per the Nehru-Liaquat Pact signed in 1950, Sikh pilgrims are allowed to visit shrines in Pakistan on four key religious occasions, including the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, foundation day of Khalsa Panth (Baisakhi) and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Sikh bodies not to send jatha on Guru Arjan's martyrdom day
However, Sikh bodies such as the Khalra Mission Committee, Nankana Sahib Foundation and the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) have decided not to send jatha on martyrdom day of the fifth master Guru Arjan Dev, which falls on June 16, to Pakistan.
Jagjit Singh Bhullar, president of the Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society in Ferozepur, said: 'I have coordinated with all Sikh bodies except the SGPC and decided not to send the jatha on Guru Arjan Dev's martyrdom day because of the tense situation at the border. Also, we don't expect the Indian government to grant travel permission.'
Due to a dispute over the Nanakshahi calendar, the SGPC observes Guru Arjan Dev's martyrdom day on May 30, based on its amended version, and does not organise pilgrimages for the June 16 date followed by other bodies.
Despite the current diplomatic strain, Pakistan's Punjab minister for minorities affairs and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Ramesh Singh Arora had earlier confirmed that visa arrangements were being made for Indian pilgrims planning to visit for Guru Arjan Dev's martyrdom observance at Gurdwara Dehra Sahib in Lahore.
Just days before the Pahalgam attack, nearly 5,800 Indian pilgrims returned from Pakistan after celebrating Baisakhi in April — the largest Sikh jatha to visit Pakistan since Partition, with nearly 7,000 visas issued.
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