Over 2,000 Indian Sikh Pilgrims Enter Pakistan for Guru Nanak's Birth Anniversary Amid Strained Relations

Sikh devotees wait to board a bus for Attari border to visit Pakistan

Approximately 2,100 Indian Sikh pilgrims crossed into Pakistan through the Wagah border on Tuesday to participate in celebrations marking the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, establishing the first significant people-to-people contact between the two nations following the brief May conflict.

The pilgrims were welcomed at the Wagah checkpoint by Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President and Punjab Minorities Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, along with Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chief Sajid Mahmood Chauhan and Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq.

Among the prominent visitors entering Pakistan were Akal Takht leader Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the Shrimoni Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee delegation led by Bibi Gurinder Kaur, and Ravinder Singh Sweeta representing the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee.

The Pakistan government had issued 2,150 visas to Indian Sikhs specifically for attending celebrations related to Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary.

ETPB spokesperson Ghulam Mohyuddin confirmed to PTI that approximately 2,100 Sikhs arrived in Lahore via the Wagah border on Tuesday.

Following completion of immigration and customs procedures, the pilgrims were transported by special buses to Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib.

The main celebration ceremony for Guru Nanak's birth anniversary is scheduled for Wednesday at Gurdwara Janamasthan, located about 80 kilometers from Lahore.

"All gurdwaras, including Janamasthan and Kartarpur Sahib, have been elaborately decorated with lights. Medical assistance teams from Rescue 1122 and the ETPB medical unit will accompany the pilgrims throughout their journey," stated Nasir Mushtaq.

He further noted that comprehensive security arrangements have been implemented at all entry points and surrounding areas. "Rangers, police, special forces, and the ETPB's dedicated security wing have been deployed to ensure the pilgrims' safety," he added.

During their 10-day visit, the Indian Sikh pilgrims will also visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

The pilgrims are scheduled to return to India on November 13.

Tensions continue to run high between New Delhi and Islamabad in the aftermath of the four-day conflict in May that followed the Pahalgam terror attack.

Since May, both countries have essentially severed all communication channels and have even implemented bans on the use of their respective airspaces by the other country.