CHANDIGARH: Despite having valid visas, around 130 Sikh pilgrims were left disappointed on Friday as there was no clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for the special train arriving from Pakistan to pick them up at the Attari railway station.
The passengers who were heading to Pakistan for the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev blamed the lack of communication between the Railways and MEA for the botch-up, saying the formalities should have been completed a day in advance.
Many of them also complained about the lack of adequate drinking water and toilets at the Attari station.
The pilgrims were to visit Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, Panja Sahib, Dera Sahib and Sacha Sauda gurdwaras in Pakistan. Their visas were valid from June 12 to 23 and had been issued on June 4.
In Pakistan, the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev is observed on June 16 as Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee follows the Nanakshi calendar released in 2003.
In India, the SGPC follows the amended version of the calendar of 2010 -- thus the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev was observed here on June 7.