Pakistan grants 3,000 visas to Indian Sikhs for Guru Nanak birthday celebrations from 14-23 November

Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued over 3000 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the birthday celebrations of Guru Nanak to be held in Pakistan from 14-23 November 2024. Guru Nanak is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.

“Expressing his views on the occasion, Charge d’Affaires, Mr. Saad Ahmad Warraich, extended his heartfelt felicitations and wished the pilgrims a fulfilling yatra,” the post on microblogging site X read.

Guru Nanak Jayanti

Every year, Guru Nanak Jayanti (birthday) is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik to celebrate the Sikh leader's birth. This year, Guru Nanak Jayanti will be celebrated on November 15, Friday.

Indian Sikh pilgrims who will travel to Pakistan would visit Dera Sahib, Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib.

On November 10, Saturday, the Pakistan High Commission had denied visas to 1,481 Sikh devotees out of 2,244 applicants who had applied to undertake a pilgrimage to Nankana Sahib on the occasion of Guru Nanak's birthday.

Harjinder Singh Dhami, president, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee said the rejection in such large numbers was particularly hurtful and undermined the religious sentiments of Sikhs.

Buses for Gurudwara darshan stopped

Another person named Harbhajan Singh said that the buses for visiting the Gurudwara in Pakistan were stopped. “That should run again. Like Delhi Lahore bus to Amritsar Nankana Sahib, even Samjota Exores train have been stopped. We should connect the people of both the countries through religious places,” news wire ANI quoted Singh as saying.

Reportedly, Indian pilgrims travelling to Pakistan for the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak are also facing financial hurdles. The Pakistani government is advising them to carry US dollars due to a foreign exchange shortage. This has created a challenge for many devotees, who may find it difficult to obtain foreign currency, especially given the last-minute visa approvals.