ISLAMABAD: India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has barred Sikh pilgrims from travelling to Pakistan in November to attend the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, citing prevailing tensions between the two countries. Guru Nanak is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
The move has drawn objections from Sikh devotees and criticism from opposition leaders and religious representatives in Indian Punjab, who argue the restriction infringes upon religious freedom.
The Indian government has cited prevailing tensions with Pakistan as the reason behind the restriction. An advisory issued by the ministry formally prevented the travel, Indian media said.
However, Sikh devotees from the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and other countries are arriving in Pakistan to participate.
Sikh pilgrims have voiced strong objections after being denied permission to travel to Pakistan, according to Indian media reports.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and Sikh religious leaders in Indian Punjab, who questioned the rationale behind the decision. They argued that if cricket matches can be held between India and Pakistan, there should be no reason to prevent Sikh devotees from undertaking religious pilgrimages.
The pilgrims were scheduled to visit Pakistan in November to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticised the central government, stating it had no authority to restrict religious freedom. He emphasised that allowing sports events while blocking religious travel was unjustifiable.
Former Lok Sabha MP Sukhbir Singh Badal also called on Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider the decision. He warned that denying access to Kartarpur Sahib would deeply hurt Sikh religious sentiments and urged the government to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor without delay.
Chairman of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, condemned the Indian government’s decision, stating that preventing Sikhs from visiting their holy sites is a violation of their fundamental religious rights.
Thousands of Sikh pilgrims visit Pakistan each year to commemorate Baisakhi and other religious holidays.
These visits are facilitated under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, aimed at fostering religious harmony and cross-border understanding.
Ahead of this year’s Baisakhi celebrations, the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi granted over 6,500 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India.
These visas allowed devotees to visit prominent religious sites in Pakistan between April 10 and 19, including Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.
Tension between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 attack in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). India swiftly blamed Pakistan without presenting any credible evidence.
Pakistan condemned the attack and strongly denied the Indian allegations. Pakistan also offered a neutral and transparent international investigation into the incident.
However, New Delhi did not respond to Pakistan’s offer and continued with its aggressive posture.
On the night of May 6-7, India launched a series of air strikes on Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties.
Pakistan responded firmly and downed five Indian fighter jets and destroyed a brigade headquarters and several military posts. Both sides then exchanged missiles, which stretched over the week.
On May 10, when tensions between the two countries peaked, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached between India and Pakistan.
