Faisalabad: Around Sikh pilgrims, including women and children, were prevented from boarding an international flight at Faisalabad International Airport on Friday after immigration authorities cited incomplete travel documentation. The group, primarily from Nankana Sahib and other cities across Punjab, was scheduled to fly to India via Sharjah to undertake a pilgrimage to Gurdwara Sri Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand.
However, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials stopped the passengers from proceeding after discovering they lacked mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from federal ministries and possessed no return tickets. According to senior Punjab government officials, the pilgrims had secured Indian visas independently without registering through the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) or the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) the statutory bodies that routinely manage inter faith travel. Because direct transit links between Pakistan and India remain suspended, the group opted for an indirect route via the Gulf.
The four hour airport delay sparked distress among the passengers, prompting social media appeals to federal authorities for intervention. Officials indicated that the government has taken notice of the situation and is evaluating whether to permit the pilgrims to proceed via the Wagah land border instead.
