On Thursday, over 2,550 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan to join the celebrations for the 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
The group was welcomed at the Wagah border by officials, including Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Secretary Fareed Iqbal, Additional Secretary of Shrines Saifullah Khokhar, and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Ramesh Singh Arora, who is also a minority minister in Punjab.
Khokhar noted that masks would be distributed to protect pilgrims from the heavy smog, and enhanced security measures were put in place to ensure their safety. According to ETPB spokesperson Ghulam Mohayuddin, 2,559 Indian Sikhs arrived in Lahore on special trains and were then transported to Nankana Sahib on designated buses.
The main celebration of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary will be held on Friday at Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib, around 80 km from Lahore. Sikhs from other nations, as well as local participants, federal and provincial ministers, and ETPB and PSGPC officials, are expected to attend. During their stay, pilgrims will be provided with accommodations, food, transportation, and medical support.
Pakistan issued a total of 3,000 visas to Indian Sikhs for this occasion. At the Wagah Border, Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee leader Harjeet Singh Pappa expressed gratitude for the warm welcome from Pakistani authorities, while Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee leader Gurnam Singh Jassal thanked them for their hospitality. PSGPC president Arora highlighted that the reception of the pilgrims showcases Pakistan’s respect for its minorities, adding that the Indian Sikhs would return home with cherished memories.
During their 10-day stay, the pilgrims will visit significant holy sites, including Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad, Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Narowal, Gurdwara Rohri Sahib in Eminabad near Gujranwala, and Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore. They are scheduled to return to India on November 23 via the Wagah Border.
