---
title: 'Pakistan Grants 2,800 Visas to Indian Sikhs for Baisakhi Festival'
url: 'https://thediplomaticinsight.com/pak-grants-2800-visas-to-indian-sikhs/'
author: 'News Desk'
date: '2026-04-08T14:04:23+05:00'
categories:
  - 'Culture'
  - 'Diplomatic News'
  - 'Pakistan'
  - 'South Asia'
---

# Pakistan Grants 2,800 Visas to Indian Sikhs for Baisakhi Festival

**Islamabad (TDI): **Pakistan has issued more than 2,800 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to attend the upcoming Baisakhi festival, in an annual gesture of religious goodwill despite strained relations between Islamabad and New Delhi.

The visas were granted by Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi, enabling Sikh devotees to travel across the border for one of their most significant religious celebrations.

The pilgrims are expected to enter Pakistan via the Wagah border beginning April 10, with festivities scheduled to continue until April 19.

Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi, marks both the Sikh New Year and the founding of the Khalsa, while also coinciding with the spring harvest season in the Punjab region.

The main ceremony will be held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, one of Sikhism’s holiest sites, with pilgrims also expected to visit other key shrines including Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak.

**Read More: [Baisakhi Festival: A Vibrant Fusion of Punjabi Tradition, Sikh History, and Community Spirit](https://thediplomaticinsight.com/baisakhi-festival-a-vibrant-fusion-of-punjabi-tradition-sikh-history-and-community-spirit/)**

Officials say more than 26,000 pilgrims from around the world are expected to participate in this year’s celebrations, highlighting Pakistan’s continued role as a custodian of several important Sikh religious sites.

Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have remained tense following recent disputes, including restrictions on visas, trade suspensions, and border closures.

Despite this backdrop, the issuance of visas for religious pilgrims has continued intermittently, often framed as a humanitarian and cultural necessity.

Meetings involving provincial officials have focused on security, accommodation, and logistical arrangements to ensure a smooth pilgrimage experience. Facilities such as lodging, transportation, and medical services are being coordinated in advance of the pilgrims’ arrival.

Religious tourism, particularly Sikh pilgrimages to historic sites in Pakistan, has long been viewed as a potential bridge in otherwise fraught bilateral relations.