NEW DELHI, Feb 12: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may visit Pakistan in June to participate in a Sikh religious festival, news reports here said on Sunday.

They said Dr. Singh, the country’s only Sikh prime minister, has accepted a request from the Sikh Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee to attend the religious event it plans to hold at a gurdwara in Pakistan in June.

Press Trust of India said this was confirmed by SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar on Saturday.

“The Prime Minister has accepted the invitation to participate in a religious procession from Amritsar to Gurdwara Dera Sahib in June. The event, scheduled from June 12 to June 14, will commemorate the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth guru,” Mr Makkar said after meeting the prime minister.

Also, the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, the top Sikh religious administrative body, has requested Dr. Singh to attend another event scheduled for June 16, at Tarn Taran in memory of the fifth Sikh guru, he said.

“The Prime Minister said he will shortly be sending us his programme regarding the event in Pakistan,” Mr Makkar said. “The SGPC also urged him to request Pakistan to allow a Sikh delegation’s visit to that country in order to make preparations for the religious event.”

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...