Sikh Jatha denied permission to visit Nankana Sahib due to COVID-19 and security reasons, says Govt

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday said that the Sikh Jatha was denied permission to visit Nankana Sahib in Pakistan because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other security reasons.

"Keeping in view the increasing number of cases of Covid-19 in Pakistan, threat to the safety and security of a large number of Indian citizens during the visit and the ongoing suspension of cross-border traffic due to COVID-19 pandemic, permission was not accorded to the said Jatha," the MHA informed the Lok Sabha while responding to a question.

"Under the 1974 'Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines' between India and Pakistan, there are four occasions every year on which visit of Sikh Jatha to Pakistan are held (Baisakhi, Martyrdom's Day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Barsi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Ji and Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji).

"The proposed Jatha to Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, on February 18 was not covered under the 1974 Bilateral protocol. Further, as per information available, no such Jatha had gone to Pakistan in the past on such occasion," the MHA added.

The ministry further said that on the occasion of the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, a Jatha of Sikh Pilgrims visited Nankana Sahib, from November 28 to December 1 last year, under the 1974 'Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines' between India and Pakistan.

However, due to COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions, the number of pilgrims was restricted.

( With inputs from ANI )