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Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Inda-Pak tensions disrupt Sikh pilgrimages, raise corridor security concerns
Amritsar: The conflict between India and Pakistan — triggered by the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives — is having major religious repercussions, particularly for Sikh pilgrims. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been forced to suspend planned visits to Pakistan and the remains closed for daily pilgrimages to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib (Kartarpur Sahib) in Pakistan. SGPC secretary Partap Singh on Monday announced that the committee would not send a jatha to Pakistan to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on June 29, citing travel restrictions imposed by the Centre. He said that a jatha scheduled for May 15, intended to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, also could not proceed for the same reason. Singh appealed to the central govt to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor, stressing the importance of allowing devotees to fulfil their religious aspirations by visiting Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, via the Integrated Check Post at Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district. India had suspended the day-long pilgrimage to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib on May 7, just hours after the launch of Operation Sindoor, citing security concerns for pilgrims. Meanwhile, a religious ceremony was reportedly held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on Monday to observe the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev. This follows an "unprecedented" symbolic reception ceremony organised by the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) at Wagah (Pakistan) on June 9, which media reports suggest was aimed at "inflaming Sikh religious sentiments as part of its ongoing anti-India agenda". Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Meanwhile, as more details of Pakistan's alleged espionage network emerge, questions are being raised about the management of the Kartarpur Corridor. It is becoming increasingly evident, according to sources, why the Pakistani govt opted not to entrust the corridor's management to the PSGPC. Instead, it established a new entity, the Project Management Unit (PMU), placing it under the direct control of senior officials from the Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Intelligence agencies indicate that all three people recently arrested on spying charges – Devender Singh Dhillon, Jyoti Malhotra, and Jasbir Singh – had visited Kartarpur Sahib, which is reportedly under the ISI's direct control. According to media reports, Brigadier Muhammad Latif of the Pakistan Army was appointed as the PMU's first chief executive officer (CEO), later replaced by Muhammad Abu Bakar Aftab Qureshi, a senior ISI deputy director general. Further concerns were raised when Pakistan constituted a nine-member management team, comprised solely of Muslim officials, to oversee the operations of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur. Indian intelligence sources have expressed concern that the appointment of Ramesh Singh Arora as the first Sikh minister in Pakistan's Punjab province may be a strategic move by the ISI. As president of the PSGPC, Arora is reportedly being positioned to expand the ISI's influence among Indian Sikh organisations, using religious outreach and cross-border engagements as a cover for intelligence operations. MSID:: 121884138 413 |
Express Tribune
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
India blocks Sikhs' Pakistan pilgrimage
In a move that has drawn criticism from religious leaders and advocates of interfaith harmony, the Indian government has barred Sikh pilgrims from traveling to Pakistan to participate in the annual martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Sikh Guru. Despite this restriction, Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) organised a symbolic reception at Lahore's Wagah border on Sunday, expressing solidarity with the Sikh community and promoting interfaith harmony. The main ceremony marking Guru Arjan Dev Ji's martyrdom will be held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 16, with invitations extended to Sikh pilgrims from across the world, including India. According to the event schedule, the Indian pilgrims were scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on June 9. However, ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan and the closure of the border led the Indian government to block its citizens from undertaking the pilgrimage. Speaking at the symbolic reception, ETPB Chairman Dr Sajid Mahmood Chauhan, Additional Secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar, PSGPC President Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, committee members, Lahore's Krishna Mandir priest Pandit Kashi Ram, Balmiki Hindu community representative Amarnath Randhawa, custodian of Hazrat Mian Mir's shrine Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza Gillani, and members of the Christian community were present to demonstrate interfaith unity. Addressing the gathering, Additional Secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar said that under a bilateral agreement, up to 1,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims are permitted to visit Pakistan for the martyrdom anniversary events.
Express Tribune
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
India blocks Sikh pilgrims from visiting Pakistan for Guru Arjan Dev Ji anniversary
Listen to article In a move that has drawn criticism from religious leaders and advocates of interfaith harmony, the Indian government has barred Sikh pilgrims from traveling to Pakistan to participate in the annual martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the fifth Sikh Guru. Despite this restriction, Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) organised a symbolic reception at Lahore's Wagah border on Sunday, expressing solidarity with the Sikh community and promoting interfaith harmony. The main ceremony marking Guru Arjan Dev Ji's martyrdom will be held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 16, with invitations extended to Sikh pilgrims from across the globe, including India. According to the event schedule, the Indian pilgrims were scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on June 9. However, ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan and the closure of the border led the Indian government to block its citizens from undertaking the pilgrimage. READ MORE: 20m Sikhs stand with Pakistan against Indian aggression, says Khalistan Movement leader Speaking at the symbolic reception, ETPB Chairman Dr. Sajid Mahmood Chauhan, Additional Secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar, PSGPC President Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, committee members, Lahore's Krishna Mandir priest Pandit Kashi Ram, Balmiki Hindu community representative Amarnath Randhawa, custodian of Hazrat Mian Mir's shrine Makhdoom Syed Ali Raza Gillani, and members of the Christian community were present to demonstrate interfaith unity. Addressing the gathering, Additional Secretary Shrines Saifullah Khokhar said that under a bilateral agreement, up to 1,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims are permitted to visit Pakistan for the martyrdom anniversary events. 'Unfortunately, this year the Indian government has not only denied permission to its pilgrims but has also kept the Kartarpur Corridor closed,' Khokhar stated. 'In April, Pakistan issued 7,000 visas to Indian pilgrims for Vaisakhi celebrations. Our doors remain open to Sikh pilgrims. Despite strained relations, Pakistan has clearly stated that its doors are open to Indian Sikh pilgrims 24/7. We are hopeful that Indian Sikhs will visit Pakistan for the upcoming anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh,' he added. READ MORE: Punjab minority minister, Sikh leaders condemn Indian drone attack on Nankana Sahib PSGPC President Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora strongly condemned the Indian government's decision, stating, 'Respecting religious freedoms is a fundamental responsibility of every country. Regrettably, India has undermined religious harmony and hurt the sentiments of Sikh pilgrims by preventing them from visiting Pakistan on Guru Arjan Dev Ji's martyrdom anniversary. The closure of the Kartarpur Corridor is part of the same policy.' He further emphasized that the Sikh community receives immense respect in Pakistan, where the government prioritizes the upkeep of Sikh religious sites. 'Pakistan is a true guardian of minority rights. India's actions—blocking Sikh pilgrims and keeping the Kartarpur Corridor shut—are unacceptable and provocative,' Arora remarked. He also criticized Indian media for its ongoing propaganda against Pakistan, saying, 'Pakistan continues to promote peace, tolerance, and interfaith harmony. The Kartarpur Corridor remains open from our side, and Indian Sikh pilgrims are welcome to visit at any time.' Previously, Arora has expressed deep gratitude to the global Sikh community for their strong show of solidarity with Pakistan and its armed forces amidst recent regional developments. READ MORE: Khalsa leader expresses solidarity with Pakistan In a statement issued, Arora lauded the unity and ideological clarity demonstrated by Sikhs across the world, saying, "The Sikh nation has once again proven that it does not compromise on the principles of peace, brotherhood and truth." He noted that Sikhs living in countries such as India, the United States, Canada, various European nations and Switzerland had shown unwavering support for Pakistan's stance. "This is a historic message that truth knows no borders," he added. The minister said that attempts by certain hostile elements to create discord within the Sikh community had failed.
Hindustan Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Kartarpur Corridor shut from India's side indefinitely, Pak keeps doors open
Following escalating border tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India has closed its side of the Kartarpur Corridor — the only active surface-level link between the two countries — indefinitely. The Union ministry of home affairs' bureau of immigration announced the closure of the corridor 'till further orders'. The closure has halted the pilgrimage of Indian Sikh devotees to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal district, Pakistan, while Pakistan continues to keep the corridor open on its side. On Wednesday morning, around 150 Sikh pilgrims who had arrived at the Dera Baba Nanak integrated check post in Gurdaspur district were turned back after waiting for over 90 minutes. In contrast, Pakistan has maintained that the Kartarpur Corridor remains open on its end. Ramesh Singh Arora, president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and a former MLA, appointed as ambassador for the corridor, said, 'The corridor is open from our side. It is a conscious decision of our government to continue welcoming the pilgrims.' He added that the corridor was a symbol of peace, brotherhood and harmony propagated by Guru Nanak Dev. 'On Tuesday, we received about 200 pilgrims from India and suddenly, the next day, the arrival was zero. When we checked, we were told that India had stopped pilgrims from going to Kartarpur Corridor. Despite the corridor's close down from India's side, the Pakistan government has decided to keep it open as a goodwill gesture,' Arora told HT over WhatsApp. He added that PSGPC had also started the process for facilitating pilgrimage visas to Indian pilgrims for June to mark the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev. The corridor, inaugurated jointly by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on November 9, 2019, fulfilled a long-standing demand of the Sikh community to access one of their holiest shrines without a visa. Under the bilateral agreement, Indian devotees have visa-free, dawn-to-dusk access to the shrine, which has turned out be a meeting point of people from Indian and Pakistan Punjabs, divided since the Partition of 1947. The 4.7-km passage connects Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in India's Gurdaspur and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur, believed to be the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev. Despite its brief closure during the Covid-19 pandemic after just four months of inauguration, the corridor was reopened on November 17, 2021, and both countries renewed the agreement for another five years in 2024.
Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
50 Pakistan nationals with NORI visa allowed to cross over to India
A total of 50 Pakistani nationals, who hold the NORI (No Obligation to Return to India) visa, crossed over to India through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the Attari border on Monday. Until recently, Pakistan authorities were not permitting NORI visa holders to travel to India, citing their Pakistani passports. However, following discussions, an exception has been made, officials said. In total, 240 people from Pakistan, including the 50 NORI visa holders, entered India. Meanwhile, 140 others from India returned to Pakistan via Attari. A NORI visa is issued by India to Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals who have close relatives holding Indian citizenship. They include men and women who are married to Indian nationals. While revoking all visas issued to the nationals of the neighbouring country following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed on April 22, India had made an exemption for NORI visa holders, allowing them to cross over to Pakistan. There, however, was no clarity on the issue from Pakistan side. Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Ramesh Singh Arora, who is also a Member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, said he raised the issue with the Pakistan government. Speaking to The Indian Express, Arora said, 'I was approached by three Sikh families whose members holding NORI visas wanted to return to India.' The recent suspension of normal cross-border movement had caused disruptions for families with members holding different nationalities. Several families, where one spouse holds an Indian passport and the other a Pakistani passport, have suddenly been separated. Officials said the current easing of rules for NORI visa holders is a step toward addressing the hardship faced by such families.
