Citing escalating border tensions and deteriorating diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has cancelled this year’s annual Sikh pilgrimage to Pakistan, traditionally held to mark the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
The pilgrimage, scheduled for June 29, was to see over 200 devotees travel to key Sikh shrines in Pakistan, including Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore. However, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said that the decision was made prioritizing the safety and security of devotees in light of recent developments, including the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 and India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor on May 7.
“Given the current circumstances, the SGPC has decided not to send the jatha (pilgrim group) to Pakistan this year. Safety of the sangat comes first,” said SGPC spokesperson Harbhajan Singh Vakta. He added that 249 passport applications had been submitted for visa processing, but these will now be returned after June 20.
This marked a rare cancellation of the pilgrimage, which had continued uninterrupted even in tense times in the past. Last year, Pakistan granted 509 visas to Indian Sikhs for the event, and 317 pilgrims visited under the SGPC’s coordination.
In a parallel development, SGPC has strongly condemned Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar for an incident where he allegedly threw a slipper at a Sikh youth during a protest. The slipper reportedly hit the youth’s turban, triggering widespread outrage within the Sikh community. SGPC president Dhami called the act deeply disrespectful and demanded legal action, asserting that it had hurt Sikh sentiments globally.
The annual visit to Pakistan holds immense spiritual and emotional value for Sikhs, as it offers a chance to pay homage at sacred shrines including Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, whose samadhi lies in Lahore, is revered as ‘Sher-e-Punjab’ and remembered for his secular governance and unification of Punjab in the 19th century.