Former Punjab parliamentary secretary says he will approach courts and other forums if pilgrims are not facilitated; dispute continues over NOC and return-ticket requirements 

LAHORE (Nazrana Times): Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader and former Punjab Parliamentary Secretary for Minority Affairs and Human Rights Sardar Mahinder Pal Singh has given the government until Friday to facilitate the Sikh pilgrims who were stopped at Faisalabad International Airport while travelling to India for a religious pilgrimage.
 Singh said that if the pilgrims were not allowed to proceed with their journey by Friday, he would approach the courts and raise the matter at all available forums. He also alleged that there was a “hidden hand” behind the episode and said he would place what he described as relevant details before the appropriate forums.
 The allegation has not been independently established, and no official finding identifying any individual as responsible for deliberately blocking the pilgrimage has been made public. 

Singh Alleges Personal Dispute Behind Jatha’s Stoppage
 Mahinder Pal Singh alleged that the controversy was linked to a personal dispute involving jatha leader Sardar Papinder Singh and an influential government figure.
 He said he was prepared to accompany Papinder Singh to meet the relevant official and seek permission for the pilgrimage.
 Singh stressed that the interests of the Sikh community should take priority over personal or political differences. He also said he would not accept mediation in the dispute this time, including intervention by Sikh leaders Sardar Gopi Chawla or Sardar Daya Singh.
 His allegations regarding a personal dispute have not been independently verified, and the government side has not publicly confirmed that such a dispute was behind the decision at Faisalabad airport.

Questions Raised Over Return Tickets

Singh also questioned the demand for return air tickets, saying arrangements had been made for the pilgrims to return to Pakistan through the Wagah border.
 He argued that if the return journey was planned by land, requiring return air tickets needed further explanation from the authorities.
 The documentation issue remains contested. Government and Sikh community representatives have given differing accounts of the requirements applicable to the jatha.

Demand for Government to Cover Pilgrims’ Losses

Mahinder Pal Singh called on the government to facilitate the pilgrimage and bear the expenses incurred by the affected pilgrims.
 He also demanded action against anyone found responsible, following a formal investigation, for unnecessarily obstructing the religious journey or harming Pakistan’s relations with Sikh communities at home and abroad.
 Singh further demanded an apology from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) authorities over the episode.
 He questioned why, if an NOC was mandatory for the journey, the pilgrims had not been guided about the requirement and provided the necessary documentation before reaching the airport.

What Happened at Faisalabad Airport?

The controversy began on September 11 when a group of Pakistani Sikh pilgrims was stopped at Faisalabad International Airport while preparing to travel through Sharjah to India for a religious pilgrimage that included Sri Hemkund Sahib.
 Reports have differed over the exact size of the travelling group. Several reports put the number stopped at around 92, while other accounts said Indian visas had been issued to 104 intending pilgrims.
 The pilgrims possessed Indian visas but were prevented from continuing their journey after questions were raised over travel documentation, including a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and return or onward travel arrangements.

Ramesh Singh Arora’s Position

Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs and PSGPC President Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora earlier told Nazrana Times that the group did not possess the required NOC from the Evacuee Trust Property Board.
 Arora also said the pilgrims were travelling on one-way air tickets and that their journey had not been organised through a registered tour operator.
 According to Arora’s account, religious pilgrimages between Pakistan and India are subject to established procedures and cannot be treated in the same way as ordinary private travel. 

The pilgrims and their representatives have challenged aspects of that position.

Papinder Singh Disputes NOC Account
 atha leader Papinder Singh has maintained that the pilgrims were not informed beforehand that an NOC would be required.
 He has also alleged that before their scheduled departure, Ramesh Singh Arora and an ETPB official met the group at Nankana Sahib and encouraged them to travel to India through the Attari-Wagah land route instead of flying.
 That allegation remains disputed and has not been established through an official inquiry.
 The pilgrims maintain that they had valid passports and Indian visas and had already made costly arrangements for the journey.
 They have said that approximately Rs20 million had been spent on tickets and other travel arrangements before the group was stopped.

Dispute Now Focused on Documentation and Responsibility

The controversy now centres on several unresolved questions: whether an ETPB or other NOC was legally required for this particular journey, what return or onward-ticket requirements applied, whether the pilgrims were adequately informed about those requirements beforehand, and which authority was responsible for facilitating or clearing the religious travel.
 Those questions would ultimately need to be established through applicable government rules, official records and any formal administrative or judicial proceedings.
 Mahinder Pal Singh’s Friday deadline has added a new dimension to the dispute, with the PTI leader saying he will pursue legal and other available channels if the pilgrims are not facilitated by then.