Over 600 Indian Sikh pilgrims arrive in Pak for Guru Nanak Dev's 551st birth anniversary

Over 600 Sikhs arrived from India through the Wagah border on Friday to take part in the celebrations of the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at Nankana Sahib, the birth place of the founder of the Sikh faith. The main ceremony will be held on November 30 at Gurdwara Janamasthan Nankana Sahib in Punjab province.

“Today a total 602 Indian Sikhs arrived here via Wagah border to participate in the 551st birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak in Nankana Sahib,” Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Asif Hashmi told PTI.

During their 10-day stay, the pilgrims will visit other gurdwaras in the province. “On the instruction of ETPB chairman Dr Aamer Ahmed, foolproof security arrangements have been also made for the visiting yatrees,” Hashmi said. Evacuee Trust Property Board (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.

Two members of Indian High Commission, R B Sohran and Santosh Kumar, arrived here from Islamabad to greet the pilgrims at Wagah. Hashmi said the representatives of Punjab health department checked all passengers for any signs of the coronavirus and their negative COVID-19 test reports which they brought with them.

After immigration and custom's formalities, the delegates left for Gurdwara Janamasthan Nankana Sahib by buses. Every year, more than 2,000 Sikhs come to Pakistan to take part in the birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev. The number is reduced this year due to the ongoing pandemic.