Visa granted, but entry denied: Haryana Sikh Jatha forced to return from Wagah border after last-minute clearance failure

A Sikh pilgrimage group from Haryana was compelled to return from the Attari-Wagah border in disappointment after being denied final clearance to enter Pakistan, despite holding valid visas, officials and members of the group said.

The 94-member jatha had departed on June 9 from the historic Gurdwara Chhevi Patshahi in Kurukshetra to participate in the Shaheedi Gurpurab commemorations of Guru Arjan Dev Ji in Pakistan. The pilgrims were scheduled to visit several sacred Sikh shrines, including Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib, Dera Sahib, and Panja Sahib as part of their religious journey.

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However, their pilgrimage came to an abrupt halt at the border as they did not receive the mandatory final approval from Indian authorities. The group remained in Amritsar on Wednesday, waiting for clearance through the day, but no permission was granted till evening, forcing them to abandon the visit. While pilgrims from Delhi and Punjab were reportedly allowed to proceed across the border, the Haryana group had to turn back, according to sources.

Members of the jatha expressed strong dissatisfaction, alleging procedural lapses by the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), stating that despite completing all formal requirements, the travel process was not properly coordinated.

ਹਰਿਆਣਾ ਤੋਂ ਸਿੱਖ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਅਸਥਾਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਦਰਸ਼ਨਾਂ ਲਈ ਪਾਕਿਸਤਾਨ ਗਏ 94 ਸਿੱਖ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਲੂਆਂ ਦੇ ਜਥੇ ਨੂੰ ਅਟਾਰੀ-ਵਾਹਗਾ ਸਰਹੱਦ ‘ਤੇ ਦਾਖ਼ਲੇ ਦੀ ਇਜਾਜ਼ਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਗਈ ਤੇ ਇਹ ਜਥਾ ਕੱਲ ਦਾ ਉੱਥੇ ਹੀ ਫਸਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ ਪਰ ਹਰਿਆਣਾ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਕੋਈ ਰਾਬਤਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਕਾਇਮ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਹਰਿਆਣਾ ਦੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ @NayabSainiBJP ਜੀ… pic.twitter.com/r95i2YKGcU

— Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) June 11, 2026

Official details suggest that the notification for the Pakistan pilgrimage was issued on June 1 and circulated to all Deputy Commissioners in Haryana. Following this, pilgrims submitted their passports, required documents, and prescribed fees to the committee’s central office. On June 2, travel and IT in-charge Harkirat Singh shared the complete list of pilgrims with the concerned DC offices via email, and the passports were also submitted to the Pakistan Embassy in New Delhi.

On June 6, Harkirat Singh was transferred to Gurdwara Tenth Patshahi in Sirsa, after which responsibility for managing the pilgrimage process was handed over to supervisor Vijendra Singh, assistant supervisor Raghubir Singh, and computer designer Bibi Gurpreet Kaur.

However, sources indicated that some district authorities failed to forward the required recommendations to the Haryana Home Department, due to which final approval from the ministry could not be issued. Despite this, the 94-member group had already begun its journey towards the border.

By the time the documentation gap was identified, the pilgrims had already reached the Wagah border. Officials and committee members reportedly made efforts throughout the day in Chandigarh to obtain clearance from the Home Department, but without success.

The pilgrims voiced anger over the situation, saying they had been preparing for the religious journey for several months and believed that administrative delays and procedural lapses led to the disruption of their pilgrimage. The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has not yet issued any official response regarding the matter.