Preventing us from paying respects at Nankana Sahib is interference with minority religion: Sikh body

Dr Khushal Singh, general secretary of the sabha, said that immediately after the Partition, the governments of India and Pakistan had agreed that Sikhs would be allowed to visit Sikh shrines in Pakistan.

By: Express News Service

Chandigarh | September 20, 2025 08:22 PM IST

3 min read

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Dr Khushal Singh said for the past seven decades, Sikhs have travelled to Pakistan without hindrance, and Pakistani citizens and other Indian governments have never objected to this practice. (File photo)

The Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha Saturday hit out at the Union government’s decision to bar Sikhs from visiting Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak located in Pakistan, by saying that this was a direct intrusion into the affairs of the minority.

Addressing media persons on Saturday, Dr Khushal Singh, general secretary of the sabha, said that immediately after the Partition, the governments of India and Pakistan had agreed that Sikhs would be allowed to visit Sikh shrines in Pakistan in groups for gurpurabs and other religious observances.

He said for the past seven decades, Sikhs have travelled to Pakistan without hindrance, and Pakistani citizens and other Indian governments have never objected to this practice. Sikh convoys even continued to travel to Pakistan during years of armed conflict between India and Pakistan. When the Indian Army attacked the Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, in June 1984 and the border with Pakistan was sealed, the Indian government did not place any restriction on Sikhs travelling to Pakistan.

“The Sikh Community believes there is no threat perception in Pakistan, and the only reason the authorities are preventing Sikh groups from going to Pakistan is political in nature. The unilateral decision by the Central government without consulting Sikh organisations and intellectuals endorses this further,” said a joint statement by participants, who addressed the press conference later.

The joint statement was issued by Dr Khushal Singh, Justice Ranjit Singh, Gurtej Singh, Taj Muhammad, Shamsher Kari, Dr Pyara Lal Garg, Rajinder Singh (Khalsa Panchayat), Gurpreet Singh (Global Sikh Council), Hamir Singh, Deepak Sharma Charanathal, Malwinder Singh Mali, and Capt Gurdip Singh Ghumman.

It said, “This arbitrary order further infringes the fundamental rights to practise faith/religion as envisaged in Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. This occasion should have instead been used to end hostilities by spreading the message of universal brotherhood and peaceful co-existence as propagated by Guru Nanak Sahib. In addition, following the current military tensions between the two countries, India has also closed the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on the border within Pakistan, another major blow to Sikh devotees. Therefore, we urge the Modi government to reopen the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and all allow Sikhs to visit Nanakana Sahib and other gurdwaras in Pakistan, and revoke this present order.”

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