Pakistan Stops 14 Hindu Devotees from Joining Sikh Pilgrimage for Guru Nanak Birth Anniversary, Sends Them Back to India

At least 14 Hindu devotees travelling with a Sikh jatha to Pakistan for the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji were denied entry by Pakistani authorities and sent back to India on Tuesday, triggering questions over the handling of religious pilgrimages across the border.

The group — seven from Delhi and seven from Lucknow — had crossed the Attari-Wagah land border along with nearly 1,900 Sikh pilgrims headed to Nankana Sahib for Parkash Purb when they were stopped by Pakistani officials, according to a PTI report.

“Pakistani officials told us, ‘You are Hindu, you cannot go with a Sikh jatha’,” said Amar Chand, one of the devotees turned back, who was travelling with six family members. “We had completed immigration, boarded the bus, and even paid ₹95,000 for tickets. Then we were removed and sent back.”

Cleared by India, Rejected by Pakistan

Indian border authorities had cleared the 14 individuals, all of whom hold Indian passports. A state intelligence official posted at the border confirmed they were returned only after Pakistan immigration rejected their entry.

“They are Hindus by faith but Indian passport holders. Pakistan checked their documents and sent them back,” the official said, adding that other Hindus travelling as part of the same jatha faced no difficulty.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which organised the largest segment of the pilgrimage, said nearly 40 Hindus were part of its group and most entered Pakistan without issue.

“This is not the first time Hindu followers of Guru Nanak have gone to Pakistan. They are normally not barred,” said Palwinder Singh, who heads the SGPC pilgrimage wing.

Money Not Refunded, Says Devotee

Chand alleged that the amount paid for Pakistan-side transport was not refunded. He also said Pakistani officials offered no written explanation.

Chand was born in Pakistan but migrated to India in 1999 and gained Indian citizenship in 2010.

200 Others Stopped on Indian Side

Separately, more than 200 people who had applied for individual visas were turned back by Indian authorities for lacking mandatory home ministry clearance.

The Pilgrimage Continues

The rest of the jatha will visit Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib (Hasan Abdal), Kartarpur Sahib, Lahore, and other historic sites from November 4–13.

The annual pilgrimage is permitted under the 1950 Nehru–Liaquat Pact, which allows Sikh devotees to visit Pakistan’s holy shrines on four occasions every year, including Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary.

Background Tension

India initially denied permission for the jatha to travel this year, citing security concerns after Operation Sindoor and strained diplomatic ties, but later granted clearance for the SGPC-led group.

Neither Pakistan’s foreign office nor its Evacuee Trust Property Board, which handles Sikh pilgrimages, has issued an official statement on why only a select group of Hindus were denied entry.