12 Hindu pilgrims were sent back from Pakistan after arriving there as part of the Sikh Jatha on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti, which marks the birth anniversary of the Sikh guru. 1,932 devotees had crossed into Pakistan via the Attari–Wagah border on November 4 for the annual pilgrimage. Among them, the 12 Hindu pilgrims were not allowed to go further as they were stopped at the immigration counters after being denied entry. All of them had been earlier permitted to cross over.
Guru Nanak Jayanti 2025: Pakistan sends back 12 pilgrims from Sikh Jatha
12 Hindu pilgrims were sent back from Pakistan after arriving there as part of the Sikh Jatha on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Jayanti, which marks the birth anniversary of the Sikh guru. 1,932 devotees had crossed into Pakistan via the Attari–Wagah border on November 4 for the annual pilgrimage. Among them, the 12 Hindu pilgrims were not allowed to go further as they were stopped at the immigration counters after being denied entry. All of them had been earlier permitted to cross over.
One of the pilgrims, Amer Chand, who was sent back, told India Today, “We were part of the Sikh Jatha and wanted to go for the pilgrimage, but we were sent back just because we are Hindus. The Pakistani official told us, ‘What will you do in this Jatha?’” Chand was earlier a Pakistani national and had obtained Indian citizenship in 2017. Further said that the pilgrims were also not refunded the bus fare they had paid to undertake the journey, and accused them of ‘looting’. He said, “Pakistan looted us too.”
First major pilgrimage after Operation Sindoor
Amritsar Officials confirmed that all 12 of the pilgrims who were sent back from Pakistan had returned to India. They also said that this was the first Sikh Jatha to visit Pakistan after Operation Sindoor. Sources also said that the Hindu pilgrims had immigration stamps on their passports, which showed they had earlier allowed entry earlier before they were denied permission by the Pakistani authorities.
Initially, a Sikh Jatha of 1,796 Sikh pilgrims was set to visit Pakistan to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji on November 5, paying their respects at various historic gurudwaras on the occasion of ‘Parkash Purb’. Before taking on the pilgrimage, many members of the jatha expressed their happiness and thanked the government for permitting them to undertake the pilgrimage. “We thank the government for permitting to do darshan…” said one pilgrim, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to visit the sacred sites.
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