Islamabad
More than 600 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan through Wagah border on Saturday to attend the three-day birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak. The main ceremony in connection with the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev will be held at Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib on November 30. The celebrations will end after the Nagar Kirtan procession on Monday, followed by the Bhog ritual at night.
Various departments including Rescue 1122, Health Department, Civil Defense, ETPB and police have already completed necessary arrangements in this regard, including for security, accommodation, food, healthcare and transport of the Sikh pilgrims. Hundreds of policemen and security personnel have been deployed to provide security to the guests. During their stay, the Sikh pilgrims will also visit other gurdwaras across the province.
A day earlier, ETPB Additional Secretary (Shrines) Tariq Wazir, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandak Committee (PSGPC) President Satwant Singh and General Secretary Ameer Singh, and former PSGPC President Bishan Singh welcomed the Sikh pilgrims at the Wagah border crossing point. Two members of Indian High Commission, RB Sohran and Santosh Kumar, also arrived from Islamabad to greet the pilgrims at Wagah. The representatives of Punjab Health Department checked all passengers for Covid-19 negative test reports and any signs of the infection. After immigration and customs formalities, the delegates left for Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib by buses.
The pilgrims also brought a Palki for Guru Garanth Sahib from India, which they will place in the Gurdwara. Every year, more than 2,000 Sikhs come to Pakistan to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev. However, this year the number has reduced due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Sardar Janam Singh, Head Granthi of Gurdwara Janamasthan, has demanded of the United Nations to take notice of Kartarpur Corridor closure by India.
He said Pakistan opened the corridor on the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak as a gift to the Sikh community while India has closed it.—INP
