Despite travel restrictions, SGPC prepares to send jatha to Nankana Sahib in November

Even as uncertainty continues to loom over travel via the Attari-Wagah land route following the Union Government’s restrictions imposed after the Pahalgam terror attack, the Shiromani Committee has started preparations to send a Sikh jatha for Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary to Pakistan.

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The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday said it would be sending a jatha of Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib in Pakistan in November this year. It has initiated the visa process for the same and invited Sikh devotees who wish to visit to the gurdwara to submit their passports by August 4.

“The SGPC will send a jatha for the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev’s Parkash Gurpurb (birth anniversary) to visit various historical gurdwaras in Pakistan,” said SGPC secretary Partap Singh here today. He added that devotees wishing to visit Gurdwara Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Sahib and other historic Sikh religious places in Pakistan must submit their passports along with a recommendation from the area SGPC member to the SGPC’s Yatra Department by August 4. Along with their passports, they must submit a copy of ID proof. He urged everyone to ensure timely submission of documents for timely completion of the visa process.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Central Government had imposed restrictions on travelling to the neighbouring country through the Attari-Wagah route and suspended all kinds of visas, including under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme.

In response, Pakistan had also canceled all visas issued to Indian nationals, but exempted Sikhs traveling for religious visits.

It should be noted that no Sikh jatha was sent earlier either for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh or the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev.