After brief India-Pakistan war, Sikh pilgrims get visas for Nankana Sahib in rare sign of thaw
By Tajdar H. Zaidi
New Delhi/Chandigarh: For weeks, Hoshiarpur resident Harjindarpal Singh lived with the heartbreak of believing his long-awaited pilgrimage to Sikh holy sites in Pakistan — including the revered Nankana Sahib — had been cancelled.
But on Friday (October 31, 2025), that despair turned into overwhelming joy when he finally received his passport and Pakistani visa.
Singh is among 2,100 Sikh devotees who were granted visas by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, following a dramatic reversal by the Indian government that now allows the religious delegation to proceed.
“In September, when I learnt that the government had barred us from travelling to Nankana Sahib, I was stunned,” said the 50-year-old.
“For months, I had prepared my mind and soul for this sacred journey. It is not just a trip — it is a spiritual calling, a once-in-a-lifetime blessing.”
Collecting his stamped passport from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) office in Amritsar, Singh joined the larger Jatha scheduled to cross the Wagah border on November 4 and return on November 13.
This group will be the first to visit Pakistan after the recent, brief but intense two-day confrontation between India and Pakistan — a situation that had heightened regional tension and raised doubts about future cross-border religious travel.
The pilgrims will mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at his birthplace, a moment of deep reverence for the Sikh community worldwide.
Visas Issued, Sentiments Lifted
Welcoming the government’s reversal, SGPC secretary Partap Singh expressed gratitude to both New Delhi and Islamabad for ensuring a smooth visa process.
Of the 2,100 visas issued, 1,796 pilgrims hail from Punjab, with others from Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Jammu, and Uttar Pradesh, SGPC officials confirmed.
Confusion Over Policy Shift
Despite the relief, confusion lingers over the government’s sudden change in stance.
While the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) quietly pointed towards the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as the decision-maker, a senior MHA official stated that recommendations are made at the state level, but final clearance lies with the MEA.
The uncertainty began on September 12, when the MHA directed state authorities to halt preparations, citing the “prevailing security scenario with Pakistan.”
The decision sparked protests from Sikh leaders and the Punjab government, who appealed for reconsideration, especially given the sacred nature of the pilgrimage aligned with Prakash Purb.
Just weeks later, in early October, the order was quietly withdrawn. However, neither ministry has publicly explained the rationale behind the reversal or whether security assessments have changed following the recent military standoff.
A Symbol of Hope Amid Tension
The development comes at a sensitive time in India-Pakistan ties. While diplomatic relations remain strained and security concerns persist, the approval for religious travel signals a cautiously optimistic step.
It suggests that despite heightened tensions, both nations are willing to maintain traditional people-to-people spiritual links.
Whether this gesture contributes to a broader thaw in relations or remains an isolated exception remains to be seen.
For now, Sikh pilgrims are embracing the moment — and observers are watching closely to see if this marks the beginning of a slow return to normalcy between the two neighbours.
Till then, the region waits — hopeful yet vigilant.
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