2 min readAmritsarSep 12, 2026 03:31 PM IST
First published on: Sep 12, 2026 at 02:40 PM IST
A total of 104 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims traveling to India to visit the Sikh shrines were held up at Faisalabad Airport, in the Punjab province of Pakistan, after immigration authorities demanded additional clearance documents on Friday. They were stranded for nearly 12 hours till the filing of this report.
According to the pilgrims, they were initially denied permission to travel via the Wagah-Attari land border, after which they purchased tickets for the flight.
However, at the Faisalabad Airport, officers from Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) stopped them and demanded a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Pakistani government, the Home Department, and the Foreign Department.
The pilgrims were at the airport terminal from 10.00 pm to 7.00 am, praying while waiting for clearance.
“We possess valid visas issued by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad,” said a young pilgrim at the airport, displaying his visa documents. “No clear prior information was provided to us regarding any mandatory additional NOC. If government clearance was required, why were we allowed to buy expensive tickets in the first place? Religion and pilgrimage should be kept separate from political disputes.”
The jatha (group) was traveling to pay respects at major Sikh shrines across India, including Gurudwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib, Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, and historic Gurdwaras in Delhi and Punjab.
Seeking immediate assistance, the delegation leaders appealed to prominent Indian Sikh figures, including Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) President Harmeet Singh Kalka, to raise the issue with Pakistani authorities.
Reacting strongly to the incident, Dhami termed the action deeply disappointing: “Stopping the pilgrims is extremely unfortunate. These Sikh pilgrims who had already secured valid visas from the Indian government should have been allowed passage via the Wagah border. If land entry was restricted, they ought to have been permitted to travel by air. Denying them travel hurts the religious sentiments of the community.”
Pakistani authorities have not yet issued an official statement detailing the specific regulations under which the officers demanded the NOC.
Pakistani Sikh pilgrims were stranded at Faisalabad Airport after immigration authorities sought additional clearance documents.(Image generated using AI) 
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