- ETPB deputy administrator (Shrines) says pilgrims to be provided langar at border before trains leave for Nankana Sahib
- Dera Sahib Gurdwara caretaker says only pilgrims from India will reside at gurdwaras
LAHORE:
Over 3,000 Sikh pilgrims will arrive in Pakistan from India at Wagah
border today to commemorate the 540th birth anniversary of Baba Guru
Nanak Dev Jee at Nankana Sahib.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board
(ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (PSGPC) are
the two main authorities that deal with Sikh affairs in Pakistan.
According to government statistics, the ETPB has been dealing with all
Sikh affairs concerning their festivals for the past 11 months because
the PSGPC was dissolved after the members had completed their
three-year tenure, a new body has not been established by the
government as yet. ETPB Deputy Administrator (Shrines) Faraz Abbas said
that over 3,000 Sikh pilgrims from India were expected to arrive for
Guru Nanak’s 540th birth anniversary. He said that the celebrations
would last from November 11 to November 13, adding that the main
religious function would be held at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana
Sahib on November 13. He said that the ETPB would give a warm welcome
to Sikh pilgrims at the Wagah border, where they are expected to arrive
on four special trains.
Langar: Faraz said that the pilgrims
would be provided with langar before the same trains would leave for
Nankana Sahib. He said that the ETPB had made all necessary
arrangements in this regard. He said that around 1,200 Sikh pilgrims
had already arrived from the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates,
Malaysia, Afghanistan, Singapore, Thailand, the United States of
America, Germany and Canada.
He said that about 25,000 pilgrims
would fly from across the world to commemorate the special occasion. He
said the Indian pilgrims would visit several sacred places, including
Sacha Sauda Gurdwara, Kartarpur Sahib, Rohri Sahib and Panja Sahib
Gurdawara. He said that the pilgrims would stay in Hassan Abdal from
November 15 to November 16 and in Lahore at Dera Sahib Gurdawara from
November 17 to November 20. He said that all the pilgrims would leave
Pakistan for India through the special trains on November 20.
Indian:
Dera Sahib Gurdwara Caretaker Azhar Abbas said that only Indian
pilgrims would stay at the gurdwaras, adding that the rest would reside
at hotels. He said the gurdwara could only accommodate 2,500 pilgrims,
adding that the other pilgrims would reside at the Trust Model School,
Lakshmi Singh Fort, Agarwal Ashram, Ayesha Degree College and the Nawaz
Sharif High School. Sources said that prominent Sikh pilgrims might
invite Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Governor Salmaan Taseer for
lunch or dinner. Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, was born in
1469 at Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib. His birthday is known as
‘Guru Nanak Jayanti’
By Abdul Manan