SGPC Pilgrimage to Pakistan: 290 Pilgrims Cleared for June 21 Departure

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has announced that 290 Sikh pilgrims have been granted visas to travel to Pakistan for the observance of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary. The pilgrimage group is scheduled to depart from the SGPC headquarters on the morning of June 21. Sharing the details, Gurinder Singh Mathrewal, Secretary of the Dharam Prachar Committee, said that passports of 302 pilgrims had been submitted for visa processing. The pilgrims are scheduled to participate in the commemorative events at Gurdwara Sri Dera Sahib in Lahore and visit other historic Sikh shrines across Pakistan. Out of the 302 applicants, 290 were issued visas, while 12 applicants did not receive clearance from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. According to the SGPC, the pilgrimage group will visit various Sikh religious sites before taking part in the main events marking Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary on June 29. The delegation is scheduled to return to India on June 30. The SGPC has requested all pilgrims whose visas have been approved to collect their stamped passports from the committee’s headquarters on June 20 and June 21. The committee also released the serial numbers of applicants who were not granted visas. The affected serial numbers are 33, 66, 67, 68, 76, 131, 143, 144, 145, 151, 291, and 292.