The Centre on Thursday lifted its restrictions and allowed select Sikh jathas to travel to Pakistan to participate in the upcoming Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev, officials said.

The move follows criticism of a September 12 directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that had barred cross-border travel by Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan on security grounds. Religious bodies and political leaders had protested the ban, arguing that pilgrimage should not be singled out while other cross-border activities continued.

Under the new decision, permission is limited to jathas specifically recommended by state governments and cleared by central ministries after security vetting. The state authorities will screen and forward the applications in coordination with intelligence and security agencies,

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