In a major gesture of religious harmony and cross-border goodwill, Pakistan has issued more than 6,500 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India to participate in the annual Baisakhi festival. The celebrations will take place at several historic gurdwaras across Pakistan, most notably at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal.
The visas have been granted under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, which facilitates visits by religious devotees from both countries.
According to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, the pilgrimage will begin later this week and continue for several days, allowing devotees to perform religious rituals and pay homage at various Sikh holy sites.
“This gesture reflects Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating religious tourism and promoting interfaith harmony,” the High Commission said in a statement. “We are honored to host our Sikh brothers and sisters from India on this sacred occasion.”
Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) have made extensive arrangements for the pilgrims, including security, accommodation, transportation, and medical care.
Baisakhi, which marks the Sikh New Year and commemorates the formation of the Khalsa in 1699, is one of the most significant festivals in Sikhism. Thousands of local and international pilgrims are expected to join the celebrations this year.
This move is being widely appreciated as a positive step toward people-to-people contact amid the long-standing tensions between the two neighboring countries.
