India Restricts Sikh Pilgrims from Visiting Pakistan for Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Death Anniversary

Lahore: Uncertainty looms over the scheduled visit of 500 Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, as India has reportedly imposed a ban on Sikh citizens travelling to Pakistan.

According to security sources, the Indian government has barred Sikh pilgrims from attending the commemorative event to be held on June 30, disrupting one of the four key religious occasions recognised under the 1950 bilateral agreement. These occasions include the death anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, Vaisakhi (Khalsa Day), and Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s anniversary.

Sources claim that since May 7, 2025, India has imposed restrictions on Sikh pilgrimages to Pakistan, including the closure of the Kartarpur Corridor, a vital passage for religious tourism. The ban is being perceived by analysts as a deliberate attempt to curb religious freedom and strain Pakistan-India ties.

Defence analysts suggest that the Indian government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is playing a long-standing political game by fuelling anti-Sikh sentiment. “Modi’s discriminatory policies have already marginalised Muslims in India and are now squeezing the space for Sikhs too,” said one expert.

Security sources further allege that India has gone to extreme lengths, including missile deployments in Amritsar and alleged drone activity over sacred Sikh sites in Pakistan like Nankana Sahib, to provoke fear and manipulate public sentiment against Pakistan. They also claim that Indian forces attempted attacks on Sikh-populated areas during recent hostilities, damaging places of worship.