Overview

• The committee announced on June 17 that it will not send a jattha to Pakistan for Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary on June 29, 2025.
• The committee linked its decision to a diplomatic stand-off sparked by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s May 7 Operation Sindoor, which led Pakistan to suspend the Shimla Agreement.
• The 249 passport applications submitted for this year’s trip will be returned to applicants after June 20, the SGPC said.
• Under the Shimla Agreement, Sikhs are entitled to four annual visits to sites in Pakistan, including Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore where Ranjit Singh’s samadhi is located.
• In 2024, Pakistan issued 509 visas for the same observance and a 317-member Sikh delegation led by Khushvinder Singh Bhatia attended last year’s ceremonies.