Pakistan grants 6500 visas in a surprising move, what could be the motive behind it?

Just ahead of the 326th Vaisakhi Festival, Pakistan has made a surprising announcement. Its Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) said they are expecting around 7,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit for this year’s Vaisakhi celebrations. This is unusual because under the long-standing agreement between India and Pakistan, only about 3,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims are typically allowed to travel to Pakistan for religious events like Vaisakhi.

This arrangement goes back to the early years after India and Pakistan became separate countries. Back then, leaders Jawaharlal Nehru from India and Liaquat Ali Khan from Pakistan agreed to make it easier for religious minorities to visit important religious sites across the border. Their goal was to ensure that people could observe major festivals, even if the places of worship were in the other country.

However, this year, the ETPB announcement doesn’t mention any official increase in the visa quota. It only says that Pakistan expects 7,000 pilgrims to arrive. Meanwhile, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi said in a press release that they have already issued over 6,500 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims. These pilgrims will be visiting sacred places like Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, and Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib during the festival, which will take place from April 10 to 19, 2025.

In previous years, Sikh groups were asked to submit passport details about two months in advance, but this sudden increase has caused concern. Professor Sarchand Singh, a Sikh community leader from Amritsar, welcomed the move in spirit but warned that accommodation, travel, and security arrangements might be difficult to manage with such short notice.

The Pakistani government, however, claims they are fully prepared. Officials have instructed local authorities in Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Gujranwala to make sure lodging and security are properly arranged. The main event will be held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal on April 13.

Despite these preparations, many experts remain cautious. In the past, pilgrims have experienced problems like overcrowding, poor sanitation, and limited medical facilities. Now, with an increase of almost 4,000 extra pilgrims, concerns are growing about whether everything will go smoothly.

Experts in India-Pakistan relations have also raised questions. They wonder if Pakistan is making this gesture only once or whether it plans to extend similar hospitality to pilgrims from other Indian communities in the future. Some believe this move might be more about politics than goodwill.

As the Vaisakhi Festival, which honors the formation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, draws closer, thousands of Indian Sikhs are eager to visit the holy sites in Pakistan. Now, all eyes are on how both countries manage this spiritual journey.