Mahinder Pal Singh Issues Ultimatum Over 92 Sikh Pilgrims Stopped at Faisalabad Airport
FAISALABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Former Punjab parliamentary secretary for human rights and minority affairs Mahinder Pal Singh has urged the government to immediately resolve the case of 92 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims who were prevented from boarding a flight from Faisalabad while travelling to India for a religious pilgrimage.
Singh expressed concern over the incident and warned that time was running out for the pilgrims to visit Sri Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand, with the pilgrimage season approaching its end because of colder weather. He said earlier appeals had already been made to the government and relevant authorities and called for the obstacles to the group’s journey to be removed immediately.
The underlying incident occurred earlier this month when 92 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims, including women and children, reached Faisalabad International Airport intending to travel to India indirectly through the Gulf. Immigration authorities prevented them from boarding.
According to Federal Investigation Agency officials cited in earlier reports, the passengers did not possess return tickets and required government no-objection certificates. Officials said they could proceed after fulfilling the documentation requirements.
The Express Tribune reported that the group planned to fly from Faisalabad to Sharjah before continuing to India. FIA officials said the pilgrims came from Nankana Sahib and other Pakistani cities and required relevant government clearances for the journey.
The pilgrims, however, had valid Indian visas and members of the group questioned why they were prevented from travelling for religious purposes. Their possession of Indian visas and Pakistan’s requirements governing their departure are separate administrative issues, and the dispute has centred on the additional documentation demanded by Pakistani authorities.
Singh also drew a comparison with Pakistani Hindu pilgrims who recently travelled to India. He said 84 Hindu pilgrims departed Karachi on September 15 and another 118 on September 16 to visit Shri Anandpur Sahib Ashram in Madhya Pradesh. According to Singh, those groups travelled under arrangements made by the Pakistan Hindu Mandir Management Committee and did not encounter similar difficulties. These details are Singh’s account and were not independently confirmed in the additional reporting reviewed.
He argued that the Sikh pilgrims’ case required urgent attention because the seasonal window for visiting Hemkund Sahib was nearing its end and further delays could prevent them from completing their intended pilgrimage.
Earlier reporting indicated that authorities had also discussed the possibility of allowing the pilgrims to travel through the Wagah-Attari land route, although no confirmed resolution allowing the entire group to continue its journey had been reported at the time of publication.
The issue therefore remains primarily a dispute over travel clearances and documentation. No evidence reviewed establishes that the pilgrims were stopped solely because of their Sikh faith, and the government’s eventual response to Singh’s latest demand remains awaited.
