Delhi under fire for blocking Pakistan shrine visits
A political row has erupted in India after the Ministry of Home Affairs blocked Sikh pilgrims from travelling to Pakistan for the November birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
The ministry cited tensions with Pakistan and security risks as the reason for halting the journey, according to Indian media. However, Sikh leaders and opposition parties in Punjab condemned the ban, calling it an attack on religious freedom.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann questioned the government’s stance, pointing out that sporting ties with Pakistan had continued despite political hostilities. “If cricket matches can be played, then pilgrims should not be stopped from praying at their holy shrines,” he said.
Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Lok Sabha member, echoed this criticism, urging Home Minister Amit Shah to reconsider. He warned that blocking access to the Kartarpur Corridor would deepen Sikh discontent and damage Delhi’s credibility.
The 1974 Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines has long enabled Sikh pilgrims to travel across the border.
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Thousands participate annually in Baisakhi and other ceremonies. This April, Pakistan issued over 6,500 visas to Sikh pilgrims, underscoring the importance of such exchanges.
The ban comes amid fragile relations between India and Pakistan, which nosedived after the April attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, where 26 tourists were killed.
India blamed Pakistan, prompting a brief military escalation. Pakistan denied involvement and retaliated against Indian military actions before a US-brokered ceasefire ended hostilities.
Observers warn that the ban may carry political costs for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab, where Sikh religious rights remain a sensitive issue. The dispute has now become both a diplomatic flashpoint and a domestic political challenge for Delhi.
