Amritsar, November 13, 2021 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has received 855 visas for the jatha (group) of Sikh pilgrims going to Pakistan on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev’s Parkash Gurpurb (birth anniversary).
The SGPC had sent passports of 1,046 pilgrims to the Pakistan Embassy at New Delhi, out of which 191 pilgrims were not issued visas by the embassy.
SGPC President Bibi Jagir Kaur termed the cancellation of visas of the pilgrims as unfortunate and said that it hurts the minds of the Sikh pilgrims.
“Every pilgrim longs to visit the holy shrines of the Sikh community in Pakistan and when they do not get visas, their religious sentiments get broken naturally. Every pilgrim should get a visa so that the maximum number of pilgrims could pay obeisance at their holy places”, said Bibi Jagir Kaur.
The jatha of Sikh pilgrims is scheduled to depart on November 17 to participate in the ceremonies to be held at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Sri Nankana Sahib Pakistan on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru.
According to the Yatra Vibhag (Pilgrimage Department) of the SGPC, the pilgrims will be handed over the passports with visas on November 16.
Bibi Jagir Kaur said that all arrangements have been completed by the SGPC for the jatha. For the convenience of the pilgrims a free camp for COVID-19 testing is being organized at Teja Singh Samundri Hall, the headquarters of the SGPC at Amritsar on November 14 and 15. It is mandatory for every pilgrim going to Pakistan to carry COVID-19 report issued 72 hours before departure. In addition, every pilgrim should be vaccinated with both doses of vaccine against COVID-19.”
Subscribe to YesPunjab Telegram Channel & receive important news updates
