The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has granted visas to more than 2,800 Indian pilgrims ahead of the annual Baisakhi festival, scheduled from April 10 to 19 in Pakistan.
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued over 2,800 visas to Indian pilgrims for the upcoming Baisakhi celebrations in Pakistan. The festival is scheduled to run from April 10 to 19, 2026, with pilgrims set to visit some of the most significant Sikh religious sites in the country.
The pilgrims will travel to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib near Lahore and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Narowal district. Pilgrims are expected to enter Pakistan via the Wagah-Attari border crossing, according to ANI.
Pakistan’s Charge d’Affaires in India, Saad Ahmad Warraich, said the visit reflects Pakistan’s commitment to promoting interreligious and intercultural harmony. He described Pakistan as a custodian of numerous places of worship and said Islamabad would continue to facilitate pilgrim visits to sacred and holy sites.
India-Pakistan Bilateral Protocol Governs Annual Sikh Pilgrimage Visas
The visa issuance falls under the Bilateral Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, signed in 1974. The agreement governs cross-border religious visits between the two countries and allows up to 3,000 Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan for any religious festival.
Last year, Pakistan exceeded that ceiling significantly, issuing over 6,700 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims for Baisakhi 2025. That marked the first time in 50 years that the government had granted such a large number, more than double the protocol limit, according to Dawn. The additional visas were issued at the request of Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). This year’s figure of 2,800, while lower than last year’s record, is consistent with the protocol’s standard ceiling.
The ETPB oversees the management of Sikh and Hindu religious sites across Pakistan. It coordinates accommodations, transport, medical services and security for visiting pilgrims during annual festivals.
Baisakhi Festival Significance for Sikh Pilgrims Visiting Pakistan
Baisakhi, celebrated on April 14, is one of the most important dates on the Sikh calendar. It marks the Punjabi spring harvest festival and commemorates the founding of the Khalsa, the Sikh order established by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
Several of Sikhism’s holiest sites are located in Pakistan. Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, roughly 65 kilometers from Lahore, stands at the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, who was born there in 1469. Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, about 45 kilometers northwest of Islamabad, is revered for its association with Guru Nanak, and the Baisakhi festival traditionally centers around this site. Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur is where Guru Nanak spent his final years.
The Kartarpur Corridor, opened in November 2019, allows Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur without a full visa. It has become one of the most visible symbols of cross-border religious access between the two countries.
Organizers on both sides have coordinated travel logistics and security protocols ahead of the pilgrims’ arrival. The Pakistan High Commission confirmed that all necessary arrangements, including travel, accommodation and religious site access, have been finalized for the visit.
