Over 2,100 Sikh pilgrims enter Pakistan through Wagah border for religious festival, marking first major crossing since deadly May clashes between the nuclear rivals.
WAGAH BORDER: Dozens of Indian Sikh pilgrims crossed into Pakistan on Tuesday in the first major border opening since deadly May clashes between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan welcomed the pilgrims with flowers and rose petals at the Wagah-Attari border crossing, which had been closed to general traffic following the conflict.
More than 2,100 pilgrims received visas to attend a 10-day festival marking the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh faith.
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi said last week the decision reflected efforts to promote “inter-religious and inter-cultural harmony and understanding”.
Indian media reported approximately 1,700 pilgrims were scheduled to cross, though Indian authorities haven’t provided official confirmation.
Pilgrims queued on the Indian side Tuesday morning, some carrying luggage on their heads as Indian Border Security Force personnel watched.
Tensions remain high between Islamabad and New Delhi after May’s fighting killed more than 70 people in missile, drone and artillery exchanges.
The clashes erupted after India accused Pakistan of backing an April 22 tourist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which Pakistan denied.
The pilgrims will gather Wednesday at Nankana Sahib, Guru Nanak’s birthplace about 80 kilometres west of Lahore.
They will later visit other sacred Sikh sites in Pakistan, including Kartarpur, where the guru is buried.
The Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free route opened in 2019, remains closed since the May conflict.
Sikhism originated in the 15th century in Punjab, a region now divided between India and Pakistan.
Most Sikhs migrated to India during the 1947 partition, but many revered shrines remained in Pakistani territory. – AFP
