Over 100 Pak Sikh pilgrims en route to India stopped at Faisalabad airport

Pakistani Sikh Pilgrims Halted Before India Journey

Indiadailyupdate.com – A group of 104 Pakistani Sikh devotees were unable to begin a planned pilgrimage to historic gurdwaras in India after immigration authorities stopped them at Faisalabad International Airport. The travellers had intended to fly to New Delhi through Dubai, carrying valid Indian visas for their religious visit.

The delegation was preparing to visit important Sikh places of worship, including Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib in Uttarakhand. With direct travel connections between Pakistan and India currently unavailable, the group had chosen an indirect route through a third country despite the significantly higher cost involved.

There are no direct air, rail or road services presently operating between the two countries. Land and rail connections were suspended after the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor in 2025. The closure of the Wagah-Attari crossing left the pilgrims seeking another way to reach India for their spiritual journey.

Return Ticket and NOC Requirements

Immigration officials prevented the passengers from boarding their Gulf-bound flight because they did not have return tickets and lacked a no-objection certificate, or NOC, from Pakistan’s federal government, an official from the Federal Investigation Agency said.

“The immigration officials told them to produce an NOC from the federal government and the return ticket, after which they would be allowed to proceed to their destination,” the official said.

The pilgrims had secured Indian entry visas independently. A federal government official said they should have coordinated their arrangements with the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee and used the Wagah Border for their travel. The official added that permission to undertake the pilgrimage through the Wagah route could still be possible.

The situation has highlighted the practical difficulty faced by religious travellers when established cross-border routes are disrupted. Pilgrimages often require planning well in advance, including visas, transport bookings and coordination among families. For the Faisalabad group, the last-minute halt meant an already costly and carefully arranged journey was thrown into uncertainty.

Video Draws Attention to Airport Delay

Footage from Faisalabad airport showing the stranded Sikh pilgrims circulated widely online. In the video, one traveller appealed for intervention after the group had been waiting for several hours.

“For the last four hours we are languishing at the Faisalabad airport…someone should take notice of this and help the pilgrims proceed to their destination,” he said.

Several Sikh families could be seen waiting at the airport. Another young pilgrim argued that the group should not be treated as though it had committed wrongdoing merely because officials demanded an NOC. He said he was employed by the Pakistani government.

The episode has caused distress among travellers whose intended visit was centred on worship rather than tourism or commercial travel. Sikh gurdwaras in India hold particular significance for devotees from Pakistan, and access to religious sites can depend heavily on visa procedures and the availability of workable transport corridors.

SGPC Calls for Immediate Intervention

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee condemned the decision to stop the pilgrims after they had reached the departure terminal. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said the group had obtained official Indian entry visas to visit Sikh shrines across the country.

“The pilgrims were travelling to visit historic Sikh shrines across India after securing official entry visas from the Indian government. The last-minute disruption is highly unfortunate and deeply damaging to religious sentiments,” Dhami said.

Dhami said unexpected clearance demands at the airport had caused serious anxiety for people who had spent months preparing for the visit. He called on Pakistan’s government to intervene promptly and allow the delegation to depart.

He also suggested that the Attari-Wagah land border could serve as an alternative if the proposed air journey through Dubai could not proceed. Dhami appealed to both New Delhi and Islamabad to deal with religious travel in a flexible and humanitarian manner, arguing that administrative and diplomatic obstacles should not stand in the way of worship.

The call for an alternative route reflects the limited options available to pilgrims at a time when regular direct travel links remain suspended. A land crossing, if permitted, could avoid the expense and logistical complexity of travelling through another country. However, any such arrangement would require the relevant authorities to resolve documentation and border-clearance issues.

Political Leaders Seek Clarity

Shiromani Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) general secretary Gurpartap Singh Wadala and youth wing head Gurjit Singh Talwandi also voiced concern about the group being denied boarding despite holding valid Indian visas.

In a joint statement, the two leaders said travellers should have been informed beforehand if a federal NOC was necessary. They asked authorities to clearly explain the condition and ensure that pilgrims are not made to face avoidable disruption during religious travel.

The case now centres on whether the pilgrims can obtain the required clearance and return-ticket documentation, or whether a border-based alternative will be arranged. Until then, the devotees’ planned visit to Sikh religious sites in India remains delayed, with families awaiting a resolution that would allow them to continue their journey.