100 Sikh pilgrims stopped at Faisalabad airport

Around 100 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims, including women and children, were stopped at Faisalabad International Airport on Friday while attempting to travel to India for religious rituals at Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib.

The pilgrims had obtained Indian visas independently and arrived at the airport to board a flight to a Gulf destination before continuing their journey to India. However, immigration authorities stopped them after raising concerns about their travel arrangements and documentation.

A senior Punjab government official said the group did not possess return tickets and had not obtained a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the relevant federal ministry.

According to the official, the pilgrims had secured their Indian visas without seeking assistance from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) or the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), organisations that are generally involved in arrangements for Sikh pilgrims travelling abroad.

The official also noted that the group had chosen an indirect route through the Gulf instead of travelling to India through the Wagah border.

Travel between Pakistan and India has become particularly difficult because there are currently no regular direct air, rail or road connections between the two countries. Religious pilgrims therefore often have to rely on alternative routes and comply with additional travel requirements.

The stoppage caused frustration and distress among the pilgrims, with videos from the airport appearing on social media. In one video, a member of the group said they had remained at the airport for about four hours after being stopped by immigration authorities.

The pilgrim appealed to the authorities to intervene and help the group continue its journey.

Another passenger urged the government to permit the pilgrims to travel to India so they could fulfil their religious commitments at the revered Sikh shrine.

Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib is located in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district and is considered one of Sikhism’s most important pilgrimage destinations. The shrine is traditionally associated with Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru.

An official source said the government had taken notice of the situation and was considering allowing the pilgrims to travel to India through the Wagah border.

The incident highlights the difficulties faced by religious pilgrims travelling between Pakistan and India amid strained bilateral relations and limited transport links.