Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) continues to charge Indian pilgrims $20 and Non-Resident Indian (NRI) pilgrims $5 for visiting Kartarpur Sahib, a practice that has drawn sustained criticism from Sikh organisations and religious commentators as a politicisation of faith. The controversy has intensified following an editorial by Sudeep Singh in Khalsa Vox, which argued that the fee structure contradicts fundamental Sikh principles and undermines the sanctity of the pilgrimage corridor.

A Fee Unlike Any Other Gurdwara

Singh's editorial underlines a striking anomaly: no major Gurdwara anywhere in the world imposes a mandatory entry charge for devotees seeking to pay obeisance. Critics argue the Kartarpur fee stands in direct contradiction to this universal norm. Singh wrote: 'Pakistan's policy reflects a mindset that views religious sites not as places of devotion but as instruments of control and revenue generation.'

Several Sikh organisations have reportedly drawn a historical parallel, comparing the levy to the Mughal-era Jizya tax — a charge imposed on non-Muslims solely on account of their faith. 'In the 21st century, imposing a tax on pilgrims simply because they come from another country can reasonably be viewed as a symbol of religious discrimination and outdated thinking,' Singh noted in the editorial.

Political Propaganda Inside the Corridor

The editorial raises a second, separate concern: the reported display of posters within the Kartarpur corridor complex propagating Pakistan's claims of victory in India's Operation Sindoor. According to the editorial, such material transforms a sacred pilgrimage site into a platform for what Singh described as 'military triumphalism' and 'political propaganda.'

The piece argues that these incidents collectively erode the spirit and stated purpose of the corridor, which was established to allow Sikh devotees unimpeded access to one of their holiest shrines. Notably, the corridor was inaugurated in 2019 as a rare bilateral initiative, widely seen at the time as a gesture of religious goodwill.

What the Editorial Demands

Singh's piece calls on Pakistan to take three concrete steps: abolish the pilgrimage fee entirely, remove all political propaganda from the corridor premises, and ensure that devotees can visit with dignity. 'Kartarpur Sahib is not the property of any government; it is a shared heritage of the entire Sikh Panth and, indeed, of humanity itself,' he wrote.

The editorial's framing positions the issue as one of global Sikh heritage rather than a bilateral India-Pakistan matter — a distinction that broadens the audience for the critique beyond South Asian politics.

India's Parallel Initiatives for Sikh Pilgrims

Against this backdrop, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday highlighted the Central government's own outreach to the Sikh community. Saini pointed to the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor connecting Dera Baba Nanak with Kartarpur Sahib, and the launch of dedicated air connectivity between Amritsar and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Nanded, as landmark initiatives undertaken by the Centre.

The juxtaposition of India's facilitation efforts with Pakistan's fee-and-propaganda controversy is likely to deepen the political and religious dimensions of the debate in the weeks ahead.