More than 2,000 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in eastern Pakistan on Tuesday, marking the first major border crossing between the two countries since the brief war in May.
Hundreds of pilgrims made their way across the border with luggage in tow where were welcomed by Pakistani officials, who threw rose petals over them and gave them flowers.
Last week, Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi announced that visas had been granted to more than 2,100 pilgrims.
They will attend a 10-day festival to commemorate the 556th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith.
Pakistan facilitates pilgrimage
In May, a conflict erupted after New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing a terror attack that killed 26 people in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan denied the accusations.
The Wagah border crossing had been closed for months due to the border conflict, but was reopened by Pakistani authorities to facilitate the pilgrimage, according to government official Nasir Mushtaq.
“Granting visas to Sikh pilgrims and reopening the border demonstrates Pakistan’s respect for religious minorities and commitment to fostering cultural ties, despite ongoing political disputes,” Mushtaq said.
On Wednesday, the pilgrims will gather in Nankana Sahib, Guru Nanak’s birthplace, which is located west of Lahore.
Then, they will visit other sacred sites in Pakistan, including Kartarpur, where Guru Nanak is buried.
Sikhs in India and Pakistan
Sikhs are a tiny minority in Pakistan. Sikhism, a monotheistic religion, originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region, which spans parts of modern-day India and Pakistan.
Most Sikhs migrated to India during the 1947 Partition when the subcontinent was divided into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan at the end of British rule.
However, some of the holiest Sikh sites ended up in Pakistan. These include the shrines in Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur.
“It doesn’t feel like we are in another country. It feels like we are among our own people,” one Sikh pilgrim from India told the AFP news agency.
“We pray to God that when Pakistanis visit our side, we can reciprocate the same warmth and respect.”
Edited by: Zac Crellin
