Around 170 to 195 historical Gurdwaras are located in different areas of Pakistan. Due to the absence of the Sikh community following August 1947, most of these Gurdwaras were not looked after properly; therefore, out of the hundreds that exist, only a few Gurdwaras are fully or partially operational for the visitation of pilgrims or Yatris. The Pakistan government has maintained the sanctity and renovation of prominent Sikh holy places, including Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Gurdwara Rori Sahib, Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh, Gurdwara Bal Lilah, Gurdwara Diwan Kaura Mal, Gurdwara Shahid Ganj Bhai Taru Singh and Gurdwara Kiara Sahib and so on. Thousands of Sikh pilgrims visit their sacred sites throughout the year for the celebration of important religious festivals. International Sikh religious tourism is also backing up Pakistan’s economy significantly. However, defective and outdated laws and rules regarding the pilgrimage visa have created much confusion that may cause a threat to the legal status of international Sikh pilgrims, especially in the case of misuse of the Yatri visa while visiting Pakistan.
This is not only affecting the Sikh community living in all corners of the world, but is also posing a grave threat to international religious tourism in Pakistan. This confusion has been discouraging the international Sikh community and damaging the economy, interfaith harmony, the credibility of Pakistan’s institutions, and Punjabi solidarity.
Pakistan and India signed a “Protocol of Visits to Religious Shrines” on 14 September 1974 to ensure smooth visa processing for visiting the religious places in both countries by all religious communities of India and Pakistan. However, the Protocol is too old to meet the challenges and exponential changes of the contemporary era, especially regarding the misuse of the Pilgrimage as well as the conditional visa. Any violation of a pilgrim visa not only threatens the security of Pakistan but also causes feelings of ill-will between both Punjabi communities on either side of the international border. This has detrimental effects on religious, cultural, and linguistic harmony.
Despite clear legal violations, key institutions like the Federal Investigation Agency and the Punjab Police failed to register an FIR or initiate deportation proceedings
Being a legal counsel in a deportation petition of Mahinder Pall Singh – Ex-MPA and Parliamentary Secretary – bearing number 72653/25 against Sarabjeet Kaur before the Lahore High Court, I am an eyewitness of the misuse of the pilgrimage visa, the violation of the conditional visa, as well as of the Foreigners Act 1946 and Standing Order number 29/2005 for individual interests. This violation has created panic and ill-will within the international Sikh community regarding the case.
Sarabjeet Kaur, an Indian Sikh pilgrim, came with the religious delegation (Jatha) from India by obtaining a limited and non-extendable Pilgrimage Visa for a 10-day trip. Pakistan’s government permitted her to visit only six Gurdwaras including Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Sacha Sauda Sahib, Dara Sahib, Rori Sahib, Darbar Sahib (Kartarpur) and Panja Sahib. She disappeared from Nankana Sahib on 4th November 2025 and did not join the religious ceremony. Later on, it was disclosed that she had eloped with a Pakistani national named Nasir Hussain and married after converting to Islam.
Skipping from the Gurdwara and marrying a resident of Sheikhupura was a severe violation of the visa conditions signed by Pakistan and India. Her visa expired on 14th November 2025 because the Protocol debars any extension of the visa. She has been living in Pakistan since the period between the 5th and 13th November 2025 illegally and is likely to be investigated and sent back to India to restore the supremacy of law and the trust of the Sikh community.
Sarbajeet Kaur has a criminal record in India, and around four criminal cases against her and eight against her sons, registered in Indian Punjab. Despite the criminal record, the Indian law enforcement agencies gave her security clearance during the visa process, which makes the matter more suspicious, especially in the context of Indian-sponsored terrorist activities in Pakistan. Neither can religion be used as a tool to fulfill nefarious designs nor can visa relaxation be awarded as a given by Pakistan.
The visa can be used only for the purposes of congregational rites, not for the purpose of purported marriage or other unlawful conduct. The limited and conditional visa for pilgrimage has been misused or exploited by Sarabjeet Kaur for hidden ulterior and unlawful motives, which is a grave violation of the Foreigners Act 1946 and Standing Order number 29/2005. The Federal Investigation Agency following its obligations under Standing Order No. 29/2005, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee being the direct custodian and manager of Sikh pilgrims, and the Punjab Police did not take even a single step regarding this illegality, which meant they failed to register an FIR and deport her.
The Government of Pakistan must take stern measures to stop possible future violations of the “Protocol of Visits to Religious Shrines 1974” and the Foreigners Act 1946 by pilgrims of any community for security reasons and to restore the trust of international pilgrimages for the promotion of religious tourism and interfaith harmony in Pakistan. They must adhere to the domestic laws of Pakistan by not engaging in any activity that is against the conditions and scope of the given visa.