Pakistan Denies Visas to 92 Indian Pilgrims: Report

April 19, 2026

Islamabad: According to a report, the Pakistani government has denied visas to 92 Indian pilgrims. According to an article published on the Khalsa Vox news portal, Pakistan had initially issued visas to these pilgrims from April 10 to April 19, during which they were to visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib to celebrate Khalsa Sajna Diwas. However, the 92 pilgrims were later denied visas, sparking controversy.

Allegations of Discrimination and Concern
The report states that these pilgrims do not have “Singh” or “Kaur” in their names, but they all have deep faith in the Sikh Gurus. Khalsa Vox author Sudheep Singh alleged that this is the result of the Pakistani government’s “flawed policies,” which have hurt the religious sentiments of Indian families. They also claimed that this move appears to target pilgrims performing the Hajj, potentially creating a religious divide between the Hindu and Sikh communities.

Matter escalated to the Pakistan government
According to Paramjit Singh Chandok, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, the issue has been raised with the Pakistan government. The report also stated that the visa dates issued by Pakistan (April 10–19) did not match India’s travel plan (April 12–21), which was decided on the recommendation of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Punjab government.

The article further stated that a large number of families live in Pakistan’s Sindh province, along with many parts of India and the world, who follow Sikh traditions and bow before the Guru Granth Sahib. The author warned that such policies could impact future religious pilgrimages and increase tensions between the two countries.

The report also alleged that while Pakistan portrays itself as a supporter of the Sikh community, its intelligence agency, the ISI, has been accused of involvement in drug and arms smuggling into India. Recently, the Punjab Police busted a drug smuggling ring, uncovering a network linked to Pakistan, and recovered 64.62 kilograms of heroin.

Finally, the report stated that such decisions could impact future access for pilgrims to Gurdwaras, a concern for religious communities.