Gian Singh Gill, a prominent leader in the Sikh community based in British Columbia, has been organizing annual pilgrimages to Sikh shrines in Pakistan for years. However, recent travel restrictions imposed by the Indian government have cast a shadow over this year’s pilgrimage plans for many Canadian Sikhs.
In a recent interview with OMNI News, Gill expressed concerns about the impact of the travel ban on Canadian Sikhs who traditionally visit their families in India before embarking on the pilgrimage to Pakistan. Due to the restrictions, pilgrims are now forced to make detours through countries like Dubai or Turkey before reaching their intended destination, posing a significant challenge.
The annual pilgrimage serves as a time for Sikhs from around the world to come together, but this year’s restrictions mean that devotees from India and abroad will not be able to connect in Pakistan as usual. The partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 led to the presence of many sacred Sikh shrines in Pakistan, which have been accessible to devotees through cross-border agreements over the years.
However, the Indian government’s decision to block the pilgrimage to Pakistan this year, citing security concerns amidst diplomatic tensions, has left many in the Sikh community, including those in Canada, disappointed. Bhai Gurcharan Singh, another Canadian pilgrim, lamented that the government’s move will deprive many of a spiritually significant journey and particularly impact ordinary pilgrims.
While religious visits have been halted, India continues to promote sporting exchanges like cricket with Pakistan, prompting questions from Sikh pilgrims like Giani Harmitter Singh. Despite having visas for Pakistan, Singh and his family are unable to travel due to the government’s decision, leading him to question the disparity in treatment between religious pilgrimages and sporting events.
In India, Sikh pilgrim groups are typically led by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), a governing body overseeing Sikh religious affairs. The SGPC, along with the Punjab government and other organizations, have criticized the Indian government’s decision and have sought a reversal through appeals to the Home Ministry.
Every year, Sikh devotees visit Pakistan for significant religious events such as Vaisakhi, Guru Arjan Dev Ji’s martyrdom day, Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary, and Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth anniversary. The pilgrimage to Pakistan holds immense spiritual importance for Sikhs worldwide, with many entering Pakistan via India for these sacred occasions.