Centre denies permission to 27-year-old Ferozepur society for Sikh Pilgrimage to Pakistan
Ferozepur, April 10, 2026: The Central Government has declined permission to a 27-year-old religious society based in Ferozepur to send a जत्था (group) of Sikh devotees to Pakistan on the occasion of Baisakhi, leading to widespread disappointment among pilgrims.
According to reports, the government has recently imposed restrictions on private registered religious organisations from sending Sikh Jatha to Pakistan. The decision has directly impacted the International Bhai Mardana Yadgari Kirtan Darbar Society, which was not approved for any of its devotees this year.
Society head Jagjeet Singh Bhullar stated that a list of 317 devotees was submitted to the Centre for permission to travel to Pakistan on April 10. However, the application was rejected, despite the fact that last year approval was granted for 690 pilgrims from the same society.
Bhullar expressed concern, noting that the society has been facilitating such Jatha for nearly three decades. He added that his late father, Harpal Singh Bhullar, founder of the society, had sent the first Jatha of 1,100 devotees to Pakistan in 1999, and the number of pilgrims has steadily increased over the years.
He further said that the decision appears to be influenced by security concerns and intelligence reports, as the Centre has now restricted permissions largely to committees like the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Every year, thousands of Sikh devotees travel to Pakistan to pay obeisance at sacred shrines on occasions such as Baisakhi, the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the birth anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and Gurpurab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Previously, private organisations played a significant role in facilitating these pilgrimages, making the process easier for devotees.
Bhullar emphasised that government procedures are more complex and time-consuming, making it difficult for many devotees to undertake the pilgrimage. He also mentioned that several prominent devotees were included in this year’s list.
In response to the decision, various societies have written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging reconsideration and restoration of permissions for private organisations.
