Amritsar, Updated At: 02:25 PM Apr 02, 2026 IST
After the Indian government decided to charge an entry fee of Rs 200 for going to Pakistan and another Rs 200 for returning, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) demanded that Sikh pilgrims be exempted from the charge.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said pilgrims heading to pay obeisance at historic gurdwaras should be exempted because visiting gurdwaras is a matter of faith for Sikhs.
Keeping in mind the feelings of the sangat, the SGPC arranges groups of pilgrims to visit gurdwaras in Pakistan on Gurpurab and other historical occasions; Dhami said it is not justified to charge an entry fee from these pilgrims.
He also reiterated the committee’s long-standing demand that the Pakistan government remove the US dollar fee charged to pilgrims visiting Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib.
Dhami appealed to the Indian government to withdraw the decision, saying the new fee will adversely affect Sikh pilgrims.
