LAHORE, Pakistan: More than 3000 Sikh Yatrees (pilgrims) arrived at Wahga Railway Station here on Saturday through three special trains to celebrate 548th Birth Anniversary of founder of Sikh religion Baba Guru Nanak Dev Jee.
Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq, Pakistan Sikh Gurudawara Parbandhak Committee President Sardar Tara Singh and other senior ETPB officials received them warmly at Railway Station.
Talking to media after welcoming the guests, ETPB chairman said it was first time in the history that about 3319 visas had been issued to the Indian Sikh pilgrims.
He said the Pakistani government was serving the sikh guests entirely on humanity basis above the tension between two nations.
He urged the Indian president and prime minister to resolve all issues between Pakistan and India including Kashmir through dialogue so that the people of the region could be fetch out from the problems.
Farooq said the Indian leadership should positively respond the dialogue offer of the Pakistani Prime Minster Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
He said that a propaganda is made in India about Pakistan that peace situation is not good here, but Sikh community know it well that Pakistan is a peaceful country.
ETPB Chairman said that Pakistan was presenting four gifts to the Sikh community on the Birth Anniversary of Sikh founder.
He informed that Gurudawara Sri Kiyara Singh at Nankana Sahib is being opened for the pilgrims which was earlier closed for several years, while stone laying ceremony of monument of Bhai Mardana, who was a close companion of Guru Nanak Sahib, would be held on Sunday.
He also denounced inauguration of Angetha Sahib at Darbar Sahib Kartarpur would be made on November 19 and stone laying of Baba Guru Nanak University would be held in January next.
The Pakistan government made foolproof security arrangements besides immigration, customs, bank and medical facilities at the Wahga railway station to facilitate the pilgrims.
Soon after arrival, the yatrees left for Gurudawara Sahib Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib from where the yatrees will go to Sacha Soda Farooqabad.
Main ceremonies of birth anniversary of Bab Guru Nanak Dev Jee will be held on November 14.
Sikh yatree will leave for Gurudawara Panja Sahib Hassan Abdal on November 15 and will return for Gurudawara Dera Sahib on November 17.
During their stay at Lahore, the yatrees will visit Gurudawara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Narowal, and Gurudawara Rohri Sahib Aimanabad.
These Sikh yatrees will return to their homeland on November 21 through Wahga Railway Station.
