Members of a pilgrims’ jatha protest at Attari station after being prevented from boarding the Samjauta Express to Pakistan.
Why Sikh jathas travel to Pakistan?
Jathas are group of pilgrims.
In the Sikh tradition Jatha means a 'group of volunteers’ formed to carry out a specific task.
The 1972 Simla Agreement provided for promoting travel facilities in order to normalise relations.
In 1974, India and Pakistan signed a visa agreement to allow each other’s nationals unfettered access to certain places of religious worship.
There are 18 historical gurdwaras in Pakistan to which Indian pilgrims are allowed to visit.
Pilgrims go to Pakistan on four occasions every year.
For the birth anniversary of the first Guru, to Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak.
For the Baisakhi festival in April.
In May-June for the Martyrdom Day of the fifth Guru, Arjan Dev, who was sentenced to death in Lahore.
For the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who died in Lahore.
Why the pilgrims were stopped?
The government has issued no public advisory against the pilgrimages.
Neither did Pakistan gave any announcement to stop them.
But Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which sends jathas to Pakistan claimed that MEA did not give permission to some pilgrims to travel to Pakistan for the Arjan Dev anniversary.
It also claimed that for the Ranjit Singh anniversary the MEA had said that SGPC itself would have to bear the responsibility of the security of the jatha.
Some others who applied through the direct method to get visas were allegedly not allowed to board the train to Pakistan.
