100+ Pakistan Sikh Pilgrims Stopped From Visiting Hemkund Sahib Despite Indian Visas

More than 100 Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan who were scheduled to travel to India for a religious pilgrimage were stopped at Faisalabad International Airport despite holding valid Indian visas. Pakistani immigration officials reportedly sought no-objection certificates from the pilgrims, leaving the group stranded and raising questions over the reason for preventing their journey.

The pilgrims had planned to visit several important Sikh religious sites in India, including Delhi, Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Hemkund Sahib. With the Attari-Wagah land route unavailable, the group had arranged a more expensive journey through the UAE to reach India.

One of the pilgrims questioned the demand for an NOC, arguing that the travellers were civilians carrying valid Pakistani passports and Indian visas. In a video circulated online, the pilgrim described the authorities’ action as shameful and questioned why an additional clearance was being demanded from them.

The disruption has reportedly caused significant financial losses for the group. Senior journalist Ravinder Singh Robin said India had issued visas to 104 Sikh devotees and that the closure of the Wagah-Attari route had already forced them to choose a considerably more expensive journey through a third country.

According to The Times of India, the Sikh jatha was scheduled to travel from Faisalabad to Sharjah early Friday before continuing to Delhi. Jatha leader Papinder Singh said the pilgrims had secured Indian visas covering their planned visits to Delhi, Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib and Hemkund Sahib.

Hemkund Sahib, situated in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, is one of the most significant Sikh pilgrimage destinations and is regarded as the highest Sikh pilgrimage site in the world. The gurdwara is associated with Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru, and remains covered in snow for much of the year.

Anandpur Sahib in Punjab’s Rupnagar district also holds major significance in Sikh history. It is associated with Guru Gobind Singh and is the place where he established the Khalsa Panth. Both destinations draw Sikh pilgrims from India and abroad.

The stranded pilgrims have alleged that the decision to stop them from travelling was linked to political considerations. One pilgrim said families, children and elderly devotees were among those waiting at the airport and questioned why ordinary pilgrims were being caught up in political disputes.

The group had reportedly already spent nearly Rs 2 crore in Pakistani currency preparing for the pilgrimage. The sudden interruption left the devotees facing financial losses and uncertainty, with the pilgrims praying for a resolution while waiting at the airport.

Jatha leader Papinder Singh also alleged that Punjab’s Sikh minority minister and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Ramesh Arora, along with Evacuee Trust Property Board deputy secretary Nasir Mushtaq, had advised the pilgrims against travelling to India by air. According to the allegation, they were instead assured that arrangements would be made for the group to travel by road through the Attari-Wagah border.

The pilgrims are now seeking permission to travel to India through the Attari-Wagah route. Their journey remains uncertain as they wait for the authorities to resolve the issue surrounding their travel.