'Pak officials told us you are Hindu, you can't go with Sikh jatha', says Hindu pilgrim

Chandigarh: "Pakistani officials told us you are Hindu, you cannot go with a Sikh jatha," said Amar Chand, who was sent back along with six of his family members after they crossed over to the neighbouring nation to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev.

A 'jatha' (a group) of nearly 1,900 Sikh pilgrims crossed over to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border for the celebrations of 'Parkash Purb' of Guru Nanak Dev on Tuesday.

Chand was also part of that 'jatha'.

He claimed that they wanted to offer prayers at gurdwaras in Pakistan on the occasion of Parkash Purb of the Sikhism founder.

Chand said he and his six family members were sent back because he was a Hindu.

He claimed that they crossed over to Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah land route and completed all the formalities there.

Chand said they were asked to board a special bus for pilgrims. "We spent Rs 95,000 (of Pakistani currency) on bus tickets for all seven members," he told PTI.

Then five Pakistan officials came and asked us to get down from the bus, he said.

"The Pakistani officials told us you are Hindu, you cannot go with a Sikh jatha," said Chand.

"Then they sent us back," he said, adding that the Indian officials asked the Pakistani officials why they had been sent back.

Chand, who was earlier a Pakistani national but came to India in 1999 and got Indian citizenship in 2010, said the money they spent on bus tickets was also not returned.

Hailing from Delhi, Chand claimed that seven more Indians, who were from Lucknow, were turned back.

Meanwhile, the 'jatha', which is visiting Pakistan from November 4 to November 13, will visit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Sauda and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur.

Earlier, the Centre had refused to send Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan on the occasion of 'Parkash Purb' of Guru Nanak Dev, citing the security scenario with the neighbouring nation.

Later, the Union government allowed a Sikh 'jatha' to visit gurdwaras in Pakistan.