Pakistan Issues 737 Visas to Indian Sikh Pilgrims for Guru Arjan Dev Ji Martyrdom Anniversary

Pakistan has issued 737 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to enable them to participate in an annual religious pilgrimage being held in connection with the 421st martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji , according to an official statement issued by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

The pilgrimage will take place from June 10 to June 19 , during which devotees will visit some of the most revered Sikh shrines in Pakistan. These include Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib , the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur , where Guru Nanak spent the final years of his life.

The Pakistan High Commission said the visas were issued to facilitate the participation of Indian pilgrims in the commemorative events and religious observances associated with the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji , the fifth Sikh Guru and the first Sikh martyr.

Pakistan's Charge d’Affaires to India, Saad Ahmad Warraich , extended his greetings to the pilgrims and wished them a spiritually rewarding and fulfilling yatra.

According to the statement, the issuance of visas reflects Pakistan's commitment to implementing the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, 1974 . The agreement provides a framework for facilitating visits by pilgrims from both countries to places of religious significance.

Religious pilgrimages remain among the few regular people-to-people exchanges between India and Pakistan , allowing Sikh devotees from India to pay homage at historic shrines located across the border.