Ranjeet Singh anniversary Sikh pilgrims arrive

173rd death anniversary of Ranjeet Singh, the founder of the Sikh empire centred in Lahore in the 19th Century.


Our Correspondent June 21, 2012

LAHORE:


More than 300 Sikhs entered Pakistan via train on Thursday afternoon for celebrations marking the 173rd death anniversary of Ranjeet Singh, the founder of the Sikh empire centred in Lahore in the 19th Century.


The Sikh pilgrims were welcomed at Wagah railway station by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Additional Secretary Syed Zahid Hussain Bukhari and Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Chairman Sardar Sham Singh. They were served food and offered first aid at a camp set up by the ETPB.

They later departed for Nankana Sahib by a special train and are to stay there for two days. They will then spend two days in Hassan Abdal, before returning to Lahore for the main ceremony marking Maharaja Ranjeet Singh’s death anniversary at Gurdwara Dera Sahib on June 26. The group is scheduled to depart on June 30. Indar Iqbal Singh, the group leader for the Sikh pilgrims, said he appreciated the arrangements made for the visitors. Other group members said that they felt very much at home in Lahore and called for India and Pakistan to improve political and economic ties.

They urged Pakistan to issue more visas for pilgrims. Many of the pilgrims were from Amritsar and Delhi.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2012.

COMMENTS (1)

smj | 11 years ago | Reply

are they celebrating at shahi mohallah?

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