ISLAMABAD: Around 350 Sikh pilgrims from India gathered in Lahore to commemorate the 187th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, expressing hope for greater people-to-people contact between Pakistan and India.

The main event was held Monday at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, organized by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and attended by pilgrims from India and other countries, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and community representatives.

ETPB Secretary (Shrines) Nasir Mushtaq said comprehensive arrangements included accommodation, transportation, langar services, medical camps and emergency healthcare. "The death anniversary symbolizes mutual respect, religious tolerance and shared cultural heritage," Mushtaq said. "Pakistan is committed to facilitating Sikh pilgrims from around the world with warmth and respect."

PSGPC President Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora praised the arrangements. "Visitors returning from Pakistan carry a message of peace, interfaith harmony and goodwill," he said.

Conversations with pilgrims revealed a broader aspiration: easier access to religious sites and visa procedures for devotees on both sides of the border.

Amreek Kaur from Patiala said her experience left a lasting impression. "I really love Pakistan. The people, especially the young people, are very loving and welcoming. We are treated with great respect. It is a wonderful country," she said.

Kaur's family roots trace to present-day Pakistan. "Our family was originally from Sheikhupura. My parents were from there, and my in-laws were from Gujranwala. I was born there," she said.

The emotional connection to ancestral lands motivates many pilgrims. "These visa restrictions should be ended. People should be free to come and go. We should meet each other like brothers, sisters, sons and daughters, like one family," Kaur said.

Salma Kaur from India noted a strong desire among Sikhs in Pakistan to visit holy sites across the border. "There is a deep longing among the Sikh community here to visit Harmandir Sahib and offer prayers there. We too want to welcome them," she said.

Previous pilgrimages saw similar appeals. "The program was very good, and we were treated very well. They should be allowed to come to us too, so that we can host them with the same hospitality," said Harjas Singh.

Pilgrim Akhdial Singh echoed the sentiment. "Our message is that India should also ease visa restrictions. Let people come, meet each other and build connections. They show us love here, and we would like the opportunity to show them the same," he said.

For many Sikh devotees, religious pilgrimage serves as a bridge connecting communities separated by borders but united by faith and shared heritage.

As the 10-day pilgrimage concludes and visiting pilgrims prepare to return to India via Wagah Border on Tuesday, many depart with a repeatedly voiced hope: that religious journeys between Pakistan and India become easier, allowing devotees to visit each other's holy places and strengthen bonds that have endured across generations.

Ranjit Singh

Sikh pilgrims mark Ranjit Singh anniversary in Pakistan, seek reciprocal visits