Pakistan issues 737 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for Guru Arjan Dev martyrdom anniversary
Synopsis
Despite fraught India-Pakistan relations following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has issued 737 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for the Guru Arjan Dev Ji martyrdom anniversary festival running 10-19 June 2026 — one of the few bilateral channels that has remained open, and a signal that religious pilgrimage corridors are holding even as diplomacy strains.
Key Takeaways
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi issued 737 visas to Indian pilgrims for the Guru Arjan Dev Ji Martyrdom Day festival on 8 June 2026 .
The festival is scheduled in Pakistan from 10 to 19 June 2026 .
The SGPC confirmed 541 of its 561 submitted pilgrims received visas; 20 applicants were denied.
The SGPC jatha departs from SGPC headquarters on 10 June and returns on 19 June .
Last year, Pakistan granted approximately 21,006 visas to Indian pilgrims for the Nankana Sahib Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations.
Pilgrims previously thanked PM Narendra Modi for facilitating religious travel despite security concerns post- Operation Sindoor .
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on Monday, 8 June 2026, announced it has issued 737 visas to Indian pilgrims to attend the annual festival marking the Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, scheduled in Pakistan from 10 to 19 June 2026. The announcement comes as India-Pakistan religious travel resumes amid broader diplomatic sensitivities following Operation Sindoor.
Pakistan High Commission Announcement
In an official post on X, the Pakistan High Commission confirmed the visa issuance, stating that pilgrims will participate in the annual festival on the eve of the Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji at historic Sikh shrines across Pakistan. The festival window runs from 10 to 19 June 2026.
SGPC Jatha Details
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) confirmed separately that 541 Sikh pilgrims from its group have received visas and are set to depart from the SGPC headquarters on 10 June. Gurinder Singh Mathrewal, Secretary of the SGPC's Dharam Prachar Committee, said the SGPC had submitted passports of 561 pilgrims to the Pakistani Embassy in New Delhi, of whom 541 were granted visas and 20 applicants were unsuccessful.
According to an SGPC statement, the jatha will travel to Pakistan to participate in the martyrdom anniversary events scheduled for 18 June, departing amid religious fervour and Sikh chants. Pilgrims will pay obeisance at various historic Sikh shrines and attend commemorative events before returning to India on 19 June.
Context: India-Pakistan Sikh Pilgrimage History
This is not an isolated gesture. Last year, a group of 170 Sikh devotees visited Nankana Sahib — the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev — and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal ahead of Guru Nanak Jayanti on 5 November. For that occasion, Pakistan granted approximately 21,006 visas to Indian pilgrims for the Nankana Sahib celebrations. Notably, the continuation of religious pilgrimage channels has remained one of the few functional threads in India-Pakistan bilateral ties even during periods of political strain.
Gratitude Amid Security Backdrop
Devotees who participated in last year's pilgrimage reportedly expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for facilitating the visa process, particularly given security concerns that followed Operation Sindoor. The current batch of visas signals that religious pilgrimage corridors remain operational despite the broader diplomatic climate between the two countries.
All eyes will now be on the jatha's departure from SGPC headquarters on 10 June and whether the full complement of 541 pilgrims completes the journey without incident.
Point of View
Both governments have chosen to keep Sikh pilgrimage corridors open. Yet the gap between 737 total visas and last year's 21,006 for Nankana Sahib alone raises a question about scale and political will. Religious pilgrimage has historically been used as a low-cost goodwill gesture by Islamabad; the real test is whether this signals a broader thaw or remains a carefully bounded exception to an otherwise frozen bilateral relationship.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many visas has Pakistan issued to Indian Sikh pilgrims for Guru Arjan Dev Ji's martyrdom anniversary in 2026?
Pakistan has issued 737 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to attend the annual festival marking the Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, scheduled in Pakistan from 10 to 19 June 2026. The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi made the announcement on 8 June 2026.
How many SGPC pilgrims are travelling to Pakistan for the Guru Arjan Dev Ji anniversary?
The SGPC confirmed that 541 of its pilgrims received visas out of 561 passports submitted to the Pakistani Embassy. The remaining 20 applicants were unable to obtain visas. The jatha departs from SGPC headquarters on 10 June 2026.
Which Sikh shrines will the pilgrims visit in Pakistan?
According to the SGPC, pilgrims will pay obeisance at various historic Sikh shrines in Pakistan and participate in commemorative events tied to the martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji on 18 June, before returning to India on 19 June.
What is the significance of Guru Arjan Dev Ji's Martyrdom Day?
Guru Arjan Dev Ji was the fifth Sikh Guru and the first Sikh martyr, who was executed in 1606. His martyrdom anniversary is one of the most solemn observances in the Sikh calendar, drawing pilgrims to historic shrines in present-day Pakistan, particularly in the Punjab region.
How does this compare to previous India-Pakistan Sikh pilgrimage visas?
In comparison, Pakistan granted approximately 21,006 visas to Indian pilgrims for the Nankana Sahib Guru Nanak Jayanti celebrations last year — a significantly larger number. The current 737 visas are for a separate, smaller annual event, and the pilgrimage channels have continued to function despite broader diplomatic tensions following Operation Sindoor.
