File picture of Sikh pilgrims visiting the shrine of their spiritual leader Guru Nanak Dev, at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan.
| Photo Credit: AP
Sikh community leaders in Pakistan urged the Indian government to lift a ban recently imposed on pilgrims travelling to Pakistan to visit the shrine of Guru Nanak, the founder of their faith. They said the move violates international norms and moral values.The appeal came from Mahesh Singh, vice-president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the official body that manages Sikh shrines in Pakistan.His remarks followed the government’s September 12 decision to deny permission for Sikhs to cross into Pakistan for Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary, citing security concerns. There was no immediate comment from the government.Though a ceasefire between India and Pakistan has held since the conflict in May, travel between the countries remains heavily restricted.Pilgrims welcome: Pakistan officialsDespite the strained ties, Pakistani officials say Sikh and other religious pilgrims from India are still welcome to visit shrines in Pakistan under existing arrangements. Many of Sikhism’s holiest sites ended up in Pakistan after the partition of British India in 1947.
