Three days of celebrations marking the 556th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak have begun in Nankana Sahib. Sikh pilgrims from across the world are participating in the religious rituals at the revered Gurdwara from November 3 to 5.
More than two thousand pilgrims from India are expected to arrive on Tuesday through the Wagah Border to join the festivities. The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi confirmed that it had issued over 2,100 visas to Sikh pilgrims from India, marking a major resumption of cross-border religious travel since the May conflict.
Although Indian authorities have not officially commented, local media reported that New Delhi allowed selected groups to attend the 10-day festival celebrating the founder of the Sikh faith.
Security and Facilities Enhanced for Pilgrims
The district administration has ensured strict security measures and established facilitation centers, banks, hospitals, and money exchange counters for visitors’ convenience. Around thirty thousand pilgrims from Pakistan and abroad are expected to attend the main ceremony.
Every year, thousands of Sikh devotees visit Pakistan to commemorate Guru Nanak’s birth and death anniversaries, along with other significant events like Baisakhi. These visits are facilitated under the 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, aimed at promoting religious harmony and cross-border peace.
Tensions Shadow Religious Diplomacy
However, relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remain tense. In September, India barred Sikh citizens from attending Guru Nanak’s death anniversary in Pakistan, citing security concerns.
Bilateral ties deteriorated further after the April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists were killed. India blamed Pakistan, which strongly denied the accusations. The situation escalated with India’s “Operation Sindoor,” which Pakistan countered with a firm military response.
