AMRITSAR: A collection of Sikh pilgrims, known as’jatha’, was denied permission from Pakistan to go to the nation to mark the death anniversary of 19th-century Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh mentioning the Covid-19 outbreak, the SGPC said on Wednesday.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) press assistant secretary Kulwinder Singh Ramdas said,”The Yatra Department of SGPC had a telephonic discussion with Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s president Satwant Singh, who also advised that because of this Covid-19 scenario, the jatha of Indian Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan to celebrate the death anniversary of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh hasn’t yet been granted consent by the Pakistan government.” He explained the’jatha’ has been first scheduled to depart for Pakistan on June 21 and had been on return to India on June 30 following celebrating the passing anniversary of the Sikh ruler on June 29.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been the chief of the Sikh empire, that dominated the northwest Indian subcontinent from the first half of the 19th century.