SGPC distributes passports to pilgrims ahead of their visit to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan

A day ahead of their departure to celebrate the 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak at Janam Asthan, Sri Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) today handed over passports to the pilgrims today.

A jatha, with over 750 members, will head for Pakistan through Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post (JCP) on November 14 and visit various Sikh shrines before returning on November 23. Guru Nanak's birth anniversary, which will be celebrated on November 15, is attended by thousands of devotees from all over the globe at Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of the first Sikh Guru.

However, the SGPC had expressed resentment as applications of 2,244 pilgrims were sent to the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi, out of which 1,481 pilgrims were not granted visas.

On the other hand, amidst reports of mass denial of visas, a post shared by Pakistan high commission on X reads, “The Pakistan high commission in New Delhi has issued over 3,000 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji to be held in Pakistan from November 14 to 23”.

SGPC secretary Partap Singh said a total of 763 devotees have received the visas for the pilgrimage. The SGPC has the maximum quota of sending at least 1,800 pilgrims, while the remaining 1,200 have to be divided among other Sikh organisations, including the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DSGMC).

“It was for the first time that such a large number of SGPC sponsored devotees were denied visas,” he said.

Partap Singh of Fatah village, who was lucky to procure the visa, said, “It would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit Guru Nanak's birthplace who laid the foundation of Sikhism,” he said.

Gurcharan Kaur of Mohali and Gurdeep Singh were equally excited to get the visas, but they also urged the governments to be more accommodating in granting visas. “We daily do ‘ardas’ to visit the shrines which were left behind during the Partition. The governments should realise our sentiments and grant maximum visas,” they said.

Meanwhile, SGPC members Gurnam Singh Jassal and Sharanjit Kaur will lead the jatha, along with Palwinder Singh and Gurmeet Singh who will oversee the general arrangements.