Nanakshahi calendar row: Pak denies visa, pilgrimage cancelled

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 19

The pilgrimage scheduled to commemorate the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev has been cancelled due to visa denial by Pakistan authorities,.

This was disclosed by the SGPC today. The jatha was to leave on May 21 to visit various religious destinations in Pakistan.

SGPC’s deputy secretary Mohinder Singh, went to the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi to furnish the visa formalities of the devotees, said it was an unfortunate development and a great disappointment for them.

He told that the SGPC would lodge its contest with the Centre. Around 200 devotees had applied for visas.

Following the amended version of Nanakshahi calendar, the SGPC observes the occasion on May 29 whereas Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, which follows the original Nanakshahi calendar commemorates the occasion on June 16.

Due to this discrepancy, various gurpurbs were celebrated on different dates and Pakistan authorities had denied visas on earlier occasions too.