The jatha wanted to visit Pakistan to mark Maharaja Ranjit Singh's death anniversary. (Representational)
Citing the Covid pandemic, Pakistan has denied permission to a group of Sikh pilgrims, also known as ''jatha'', to visit the country to mark the death anniversary of 19th-century Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) said today.
SGPC media assistant secretary Kulwinder Singh Ramdas said, "The Yatra Department of SGPC had a telephonic talk with Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's president Satwant Singh, who informed that due to the COVID-19 situation, the jatha of Indian Sikh pilgrims going to Pakistan to observe the death anniversary of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh has not been given permission by the Pakistan government."
He said the ''jatha'' was scheduled to leave for Pakistan on June 21 and was to return to India on June 30 after observing the death anniversary of the Sikh ruler on June 29. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the leader of the Sikh empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century.
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