Pakistan denies visa to 1,481 Sikh devotees

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Saturday expressed dismay over alleged denial of visas to 1,481 Sikh devotees who wanted to travel to Pakistan to pay obeisance on occasion on birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev on November 15.

The Pakistan embassy has granted visa to only 763 devotees. The SGPC had forwarded passports of 2,244 devotees for visa to the Pakistan embassy in Delhi. Terming it as unfortunate, he said the denial of visa to such a large number of devotees had left them disgruntled. He said both governments should look into this matter. Earlier also, they had raised this issue with both governments, he claimed.

The Sikh jatha would cross over to Pakistan on November 14 through the Attari-Wagah land route.