Amritsar, April 8
The Pakistan Government has rejected the visa applications of 455 Sikh devotees, recommended by the SGPC, for visiting Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal on the occasion of Baisakhi.
The Pakistan Government has rejected the visa applications of 455 Sikh devotees, recommended by the SGPC, for visiting Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal on the occasion of Baisakhi.
Out of a total of 3,000 devotees, the SGPC had sent a list of 1,575 for the tour. The SGPC president, Avtar Singh Makkar, said the visa refusal was unfortunate and had deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.
“This was toatally unexpected. The Pakistan Government has not mentioned any valid reason for denial of visa to these devotees,” he said.
It is the third time in the past one year when the Pakistan Government has denied visa to Sikh devotees. In November last, over 500 applications of devotees were rejected. Their names were recommended by the SGPC for a visit to Nankana Sahib.
The devotees who have got visas will leave for Pakistan on April 10 through the Attari Wagah joint checkpost and will be back on April 19.
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