Visa Approved, Travel Denied: Why Were Sikh Pilgrims Stopped?
Around 100 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims, including women and children, were stopped at Faisalabad International Airport
Synopsis
Around 100 Sikh pilgrims were attempting to travel to India for a pilgrimage to Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand, through the United Arab Emirates, because land crossings between Pakistan and India remain closed. However, Pakistani immigration officials stopped them after raising questions about their travel arrangements, including return tickets and a no-objection certificate (NOC).
Why Were the Sikh pilgrims Stopped ?
India had issued visas to 104 Sikh devotees. Pakistani Immigration officials stopped them after interrogation about their travel arrangements, including return tickets and a no-objection certificate (NOC).
A senior government official stated that the pilgrims had obtained their Indian visas independently, without involving the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) or the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which are normally involved in facilitating Sikh pilgrimage travel.
Pilgrims Challenge the NOC Requirement
One pilgrim questioned, “We legally received a visa on a Pakistani passport. So what right do the immigration officials have to ask a civilian for an NOC?” Videos circulating online show members of the group appealing to authorities to let them travel.
The incident highlights the difficulties faced by religious pilgrims travelling from Pakistan to India amid strained bilateral ties and Islamabad's tighter scrutiny of cross-border movement. It has further sparked debate over travel restrictions and religious pilgrimage rights.
Missed Flights, Financial Losses and the Hemkund Sahib Pilgrimage
The group had planned to visit Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib, one of the most important Sikh pilgrimage sites in India. Located in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, the shrine is associated with Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru, and is situated at a high altitude where it remains covered in snow for much of the year.
After waiting for clearance at the airport, the pilgrims say they missed their flights, causing substantial financial loss.
Distressed pilgrims are now appealing to Pakistani authorities to facilitate their pilgrimage by allowing them to cross into India through the Wagah-Attari border.