Sikh leaders urge India to lift ban on pilgrims traveling to Pakistan shrine

ISLAMABAD AP Sikh district leaders urged New Delhi to lift a ban lately imposed on pilgrims traveling to Pakistan to visit the shrine of Guru Nanak the founder of their faith They announced the move violates international norms and moral values The appeal came from Mahesh Singh vice president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee the official body that manages Sikh shrines in Pakistan where countless holy places of Sikhs are located His remarks followed the Indian regime s Sept decision to deny permission for Sikhs to cross into Pakistan for Guru Nanak s birth anniversary citing protection concerns There was no immediate comment from New Delhi The dispute highlights broader tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals who downgraded diplomatic ties and suspended visas after tit-for-tat missile strikes in May and an earlier deadly attack in disputed Kashmir Though a U S -brokered cease-fire has held voyage between the countries remains heavily restricted Despite the strained ties Pakistani agents say Sikh and other religious pilgrims from India are still welcome to visit shrines in Pakistan under existing arrangements Plenty of of Sikhism s holiest sites ended up in Pakistan after the partition of British India in But Pakistani functionaries reported they were still making arrangements to facilitate Indian pilgrims at the Kartarpur shrine which is located in eastern Punjab s in the past few days flood-hit Narowal district about kilometers miles from the frontier The shrine is considered the second-holiest site in Sikhism The Kartarpur Corridor inaugurated in created a visa-free edge journeying for Sikh pilgrims from India allowing thousands to visit the shrine daily The shrine and surrounding villages were inundated last month when heavy rains and water issued from overflowing Indian dams caused flooding across Narowal affecting more than people At one point water stood feet meters deep inside the shrine Punjab s Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif ordered the water to be drained and the site restored and the shrine reopened for worship and visits within a week Pakistani official Ghulam Mohiuddin announced arrangements for lodging and food were being finalized for Sikh pilgrims traveling from India and abroad He noted if New Delhi lifts its ban a record number of Indian Sikhs could visit Kartarpur this year Singh disclosed thousands of Sikhs from India had hoped to take part in November s weeklong celebration marking years since Guru Nanak s birth He noted Pakistan s regime has assured the committee that the doors of Pakistan are open for Indian Sikh pilgrims and that visas would be granted through Pakistan s high commission in New Delhi Another Sikh leader Gyani Harpreet Singh questioned the Indian executive s decision on X noting that if India and Pakistan can play cricket matches Sikhs should also be allowed to visit Pakistan for religious observances He appealed to New Delhi not to play with the emotions of Sikhs Source