New Delhi: At the Attari-Wagah border, some Indian devotees were stopped from entering Pakistan because they did not have permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Border security agencies clarified that only those with prior approval from the Indian government are allowed to travel to Pakistan.
Sources said that devotees who received MHA approval were granted visas by Pakistan and could visit the sacred gurudwaras there for Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash Parv. From Amritsar, the first group of Sikh devotees set out for Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. They will take part in the 556th Prakash Parv celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, which are being held today.
Around 2,100 Indian citizens were issued visas by the Pakistan High Commission for this 10-day religious trip. About 1,800 devotees were transported from Amritsar to the Attari border by SGPC buses. During the journey, devotees will visit several historic gurudwaras, including Gurudwara Panja Sahib (Hasan Abdal) and Gurudwara Janm Asthan (Nankana Sahib). The group will return to India on 13 November.
Under 1974 India-Pakistan religious travel pact
This year’s journey is special because it is the first time after “Operation Sindoor” that Indian Sikh devotees have been allowed to visit Pakistan. From Amritsar, the first group traveled to Nankana Sahib to take part in the 556th Prakash Parv of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
This time, only Indian citizens are allowed to participate; NRI Sikhs are not included. The journey is being conducted under the 1974 India-Pakistan bilateral religious travel agreement, which allows citizens of both countries to visit certain religious sites in limited numbers. This is also the first Sikh Pilgrims Cross Attari-Wagah Border After “Operation Sindoor” to Celebrate Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Prakash Parv in Pakistan.