AMRITSAR: A day after Pakistan denied entry to Hindu pilgrims accompanying a Sikh jatha to Nankana Sahib for Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary, one of them, Amarchand, said it “felt like Pahalgam (terror attack) all over again”.Amarchand was among the 14 Hindus who were sent back by Pakistan from its Wagah checkpoint, after they had crossed over and all formalities had been carried out. “We were sitting quietly when men in uniform boarded the bus at Wagah and began checking names. Upon finding us Hindu, they asked us to get down, and our heart froze. It felt like Pahalgam all over again,when Hindus were identified and killed,” said Amarchand. “Only when we entered India, did we come to our senses. That fear and helplessness, I will never forget,” he said.

Amarchand said he paid Rs 95,000 paid as bus fare for the pilgrimage, but he was not refunded. “We went with faith in our hearts for Guru Nanak Sahib, not expecting humiliation on the basis of our religion,” he said.Dilip Kumar, national spokesperson of the Hindu Samaj Foundation, condemned the incident as “an attack on religious harmony and human dignity”. “Pilgrims relived Pahalgam in Pakistan. This is not just about visas or borders — it’s about faith, respect, and humanity,” he added.Another pilgrim, Ajay Kumar, said he too was forced to return only because of his Hindu name. “It was Gurpurab. I wanted to bow my head at Nankana Sahib, but was stopped because I’m Hindu. I’ll never forget that moment,” he said.The Hindu Samaj Foundation has announced it will raise the issue at the national level, urging the Indian govt to take firm diplomatic action against Pakistan for what it termed a “disgraceful act of religious discrimination”.