1,942 Sikh Pilgrims Granted Visas to Visit Pakistan for Khalsa Sajna Diwas Celebrations
As many as 1,942 Sikh pilgrims have been granted visas to visit Pakistan for the Khalsa Sajna Diwas (Vaisakhi) celebrations, as part of a religious jatha (group) organized by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
The jatha is scheduled to depart from the SGPC office on April 10. SGPC Secretary Partap Singh confirmed that all visa applications submitted to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi were approved. “Passports of all 1,942 devotees were sent, and the High Commission has issued visas for every one of them,” he said.
The pilgrims will first attend the main congregation at Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, one of the holiest Sikh shrines in Pakistan. Following this, the group will visit several other prominent gurdwaras across the country before returning to India on April 19.
Partap Singh announced that those whose visas have been approved can collect their passports from the SGPC office on April 9 during regular office hours.
He noted that in previous years, many pilgrims were denied visas, which caused disappointment and hurt religious sentiments. To avoid such issues this year, a delegation led by SGPC Chief Secretary Kulwant Singh Mannan had earlier met with officials at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, requesting approval for all listed applicants.
Partap Singh expressed gratitude to both the Indian and Pakistani governments, as well as the Pakistan High Commission, for their support and cooperation in ensuring that all devotees could participate in the sacred pilgrimage without restriction.
Leave A Comment