Islamabad/Karachi: More than 6,700 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan last week to attend the Baisakhi Festival, which is being celebrated on April 14 at Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib.
Pakistan is home to several sacred sites of immense importance to the Sikh community. While India’s Golden Temple sees around 100,000 visitors daily, Pakistan is becoming an increasingly significant destination for faith-based travel.
Religious tourism in Pakistan reached an all-time high of $3.3 million in FY24, largely driven by a major gathering of the Bohra community.
Pakistan sees record religious tourism revenues in FY2024. Various reports highlight untapped potential beyond Sikh heritage sites like Budhism in Hazara and Northern Areas, Hindus in Sindh for Kali Maata temples.
Their spiritual leader, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, led the Ashara Mubaraka congregations in Karachi — a 10-day Muharram event that drew nearly 80,000 participants from across the globe, including the local community.
According to a recent report by the Pakistan Business Council titled ‘International Religious Tourism to Pakistan’, the country holds enormous potential to expand its religious tourism sector beyond the Sikh demographic.
Read More: Pakistan Railways Launches Special Trains for Sikh Pilgrims Ahead of Religious Festivities
The report notes that Pakistan could also attract pilgrims from other faiths, including Hindus, Sufis, Christians, Jains, and Buddhists.
Despite being home to 493 Hindu temples, the scale of Hindu religious tourism remains underdeveloped — though the potential audience is significantly larger than that of Sikh religious tourism.
Additionally, countries with sizable Buddhist populations like Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar remain largely unaware of Pakistan’s historical Buddhist sites and trails.
Also Read: Govt Approves Rs. 200 Million Road Project to Facilitate Sikh Pilgrims in Kartarpur
If just one event from a single, relatively small religious community can push tourism earnings to their highest level yet, the possibilities of scaling up religious tourism from larger communities are vast.
With strategic promotion and infrastructure, Pakistan could become a major hub for faith-based travel.
