India Lifts Ban, Allows 2,100 Sikhs to Visit Pakistan for Guru Nanak Jayanti

Government lifts travel restrictions for religious pilgrimage amid ongoing tensions, clearing the way for 2,100 devotees to mark Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary

In a surprising turnaround that has brought relief to the Sikh community across India, the government has reversed its earlier decision and allowed over 2,100 Sikh pilgrims to travel to Pakistan for the upcoming birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism. This decision marks a significant policy shift following weeks of confusion between government ministries and widespread criticism from religious and political leaders.​ The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued more than 2,100 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims who will participate in the Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations scheduled from November 4 to 13, 2025. The pilgrimage includes visits to some of the holiest sites in Sikhism, including Gurdwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, along with Gurdwara Panja Sahib at Hassan Abdal and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.​ This development comes after a turbulent period where the Ministry of Home Affairs initially banned the pilgrimage, only to reverse course less than a month later. Understanding what happened requires looking at the sequence of events that unfolded over recent weeks.

The Ban That Sparked Outrage

• On September 12, 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs sent a notice to chief secretaries of Punjab and neighboring states that sent shockwaves through the Sikh community. The letter stated clearly that, considering the prevailing security scenario with Pakistan, it would not be possible to send Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan for the Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations in November. The government requested that Sikh organizations be informed immediately and that processing of pilgrimage applications be stopped.​
• This ban came in the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The attack triggered Operation Sindoor, India’s military response that struck terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7. The operation led to a four-day military confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors, resulting in more than 70 deaths before a ceasefire was reached on May 10.​
• The government’s decision to prohibit the pilgrimage drew immediate and sharp criticism from across Punjab’s political and religious spectrum. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann publicly questioned the logic, pointing out that while the government allowed cricket matches between India and Pakistan during the Asia Cup, it was denying Sikhs the right to visit their holy shrines.​
• Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Harjinder Singh Dhami condemned the move as an insult to religious sentiments. He pointed out a critical historical fact: since Partition in 1947, Indian Sikhs had been allowed to visit their religious shrines in Pakistan without interruption. This was the first time such a complete ban had occurred.​

The Reversal and Bureaucratic Confusion

Less than a month after imposing the ban, the government reversed its position in early October 2025. However, the reversal came with strict conditions and revealed significant confusion about which ministry was actually responsible for the decision.​

According to the new directive, only select groups recommended by state governments and vetted by intelligence agencies would be allowed to travel. All applications had to be sponsored by recognized Sikh religious organizations, undergo security screening by state police and intelligence agencies, and receive final clearance from both the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs by October 22, 2025.​

When reporters asked government officials about the policy reversal, an unusual situation emerged. Ministry of External Affairs officials stated that the decision was taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs. However, MHA officials claimed the applications were processed based on state government recommendations, adding that it was actually MEA that decided whether pilgrim groups could be given clearance.​

Both ministries declined to explain whether the security situation with Pakistan had improved sufficiently to justify the policy reversal. The lack of clarity suggested that the decision may have been driven more by political considerations and public pressure than by any fundamental change in the security assessment.​

What SGPC Secretary Said

SGPC Secretary Partap Singh played a crucial role throughout this episode. When the ban was initially announced, he expressed deep disappointment, stating that the move was a deeply disappointing action that hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community.​

After the government reversed its decision, Partap Singh welcomed the move and thanked both the Indian and Pakistani governments for facilitating the smooth issuance of visas to the pilgrims. He noted that of the 2,100 pilgrims who received visas, 1,796 were from Punjab, while others came from Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Jammu, and Uttar Pradesh.​

The SGPC had begun collecting passports from intending devotees back in July 2025, sending applications to the Pakistan High Commission well before the September ban was announced. When the ban was imposed, it left thousands of devotees who had already prepared for the journey in deep disappointment.​

The Kartarpur Corridor Remains Closed

While the visa issuance represents a positive development, one significant issue remains unresolved: the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor continues to be closed from the Indian side.​

The corridor, which was inaugurated in November 2019, provides a visa-free passage allowing Indian pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak spent the last 18 years of his life. The 4.7-kilometer corridor had been hailed as a rare sign of cooperation between the bitter nuclear-armed rivals.​

Following Operation Sindoor in May 2025, India suspended services through the Kartarpur Corridor indefinitely, citing the current security situation. Interestingly, Pakistan has kept its side of the corridor open as a goodwill gesture. Ramesh Singh Arora, president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, stated that despite India closing its side, Pakistan decided to keep the corridor open as a symbol of peace, brotherhood, and harmony.​

The closure has affected thousands of Sikh devotees who typically use the corridor for day visits to the holy shrine. Unlike the traditional visa-based pilgrimage that requires a 10-day trip, the Kartarpur Corridor allowed pilgrims to make same-day visits without requiring a Pakistani visa.​

Political and Security Implications

• This episode highlights the complex intersection of religion, politics, and security in India-Pakistan relations. The pilgrimage tradition is governed by the 1974 Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, signed between India and Pakistan. This protocol covers 15 shrines in Pakistan, including major Sikh gurdwaras, and five Muslim shrines in India.​
• Under this protocol, India is permitted to send four Sikh pilgrimages annually, with a total of 7,500 pilgrims. The tradition has survived wars between the two countries in 1965, 1971, and even the Kargil conflict in 1999. The September 2025 ban represented a break from this decades-long continuity.​
• The visa issuance for the November pilgrimage covers the most sacred occasion for Sikhs: the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, which will be celebrated on November 5, 2025, marking his 556th birth anniversary. The spiritual and emotional significance of visiting Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, cannot be overstated for Sikh devotees.​
• However, the government has made clear that this permission is exceptional and comes with security warnings. The MHA stressed that security threats persist and advised travelers to exercise extreme caution. Only pilgrims who are part of officially designated groups will be allowed to travel through the Attari-Wagah border crossing. Even individuals holding valid Pakistani visas will not be permitted to travel independently.​
• The broader security situation remains tense. The land crossing at Attari-Wagah, once a site where thousands crossed for trade and family visits, remains shut to general traffic. The famous daily flag ceremony at the border, where visitors watch strutting soldiers from both sides parade at sunset, continues, but without the traditional handshake between guards.​

What This Means for Religious Diplomacy

• The visa issuance represents a small but significant thaw in the frozen relationship between India and Pakistan. It demonstrates that even amid military tensions and hostile rhetoric, both governments recognize the importance of preserving certain humanitarian and religious connections.
• For Pakistan, facilitating the pilgrimage aligns with its stated commitment to promoting inter-religious harmony. Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in India, Saad Ahmad Warraich, wished the pilgrims a fulfilling and spiritually rewarding journey, noting that Pakistan would continue to facilitate visits to sacred pilgrimage sites.​
• For India, the decision to allow the pilgrimage after initially banning it suggests that the government is sensitive to domestic religious sentiment and political pressure. The criticism from across the political spectrum in Punjab, including from ruling and opposition parties alike, likely played a role in the policy reversal.​
• Much of Sikh heritage is located in what is now Pakistan. When British India was partitioned in 1947, the border placed many of the most sacred Sikh sites on the Pakistani side, while most Sikhs remained in India. This geographical reality means that cross-border pilgrimage access remains deeply important to the Sikh community, making it a sensitive political issue that governments cannot easily ignore.​
• The first group of pilgrims is scheduled to leave on November 4, traveling via the Attari-Wagah border, and will return on November 13. During their visit, they will participate in celebrations at Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib and visit other historical gurdwaras in Pakistan.​
• As these pilgrims make their way to Pakistan, they carry with them not just their personal devotion but also the hopes of millions who see religious pilgrimage as a bridge that should remain standing even when political relations collapse. Whether this represents a genuine easing of tensions or merely a temporary exception driven by religious considerations remains to be seen. For now, at least, faith has found a way across the border.

Conclusion

The government’s decision to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan for Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary marks a rare moment of cooperation amid strained India-Pakistan ties. While security concerns persist and the Kartarpur Corridor remains closed, the move underscores the enduring importance of faith and tradition that transcend political divides. It reflects how religious diplomacy can serve as a bridge even in times of conflict. For thousands of devotees, this pilgrimage is not just a spiritual journey but also a reminder that shared heritage and mutual respect can endure, even when politics falters.

Source: Indian Sikhs given visas for festival in Pakistan & Guru Nanak birth anniversary: Centre allows Sikh jatha to visit Pakistan, albeit with riders

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