Pakistan hosts thousands of Sikh pilgrims for 2026 baisakhi rites
The Baisakhi gathering at Gurdwara Panja Sahib is among the largest annual Sikh events in Pakistan, drawing thousands of devotees from India and beyond despite long-standing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. While relations between India and Pakistan are often marked by conflict, border closures and diplomatic freezes, the pilgrimage endures under a 1974 bilateral protocol allowing access to shared religious sites. For many, the journey is deeply personal, as several of Sikhism’s holiest shrines, including Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib, lie in present-day Pakistan. In 2026, around 2,800 Indian pilgrims crossed the Attari-Wagah border to attend, reflecting both enduring faith and a rare channel of religious exchange. Authorities on both sides coordinate security and logistics, highlighting a limited but steady form of cooperation. Baisakhi, which marks the founding of the Khalsa in 1699, blends a harvest festival with a strong expression of Sikh identity, making the pilgrimage a symbolic bridge where political dialogue often falters.
