A group of Sikh yatrees cheer upon their arrival at Wahga Border. PHOTO: APP
Chairperson Evacuee Trust Property Board Siddiqul Farooq welcomed the pilgrims. Pakistan Sikh Gurwara Pur Bandhak Committee Chairperson Sardar Tara Singh, Additional Secretary Shrines Tariq Khan Wazir, Deputy Decretary Imran Gondal, Faraz Abbass, Sardar Bashan Singh, Sardar Mandar Singh and other officers of ETPB were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, Farooq said locals welcomed Sikh Pilgrims coming to Pakistan from across the world, including India, with open arms. He said special security, residential, medical, food and travel arrangement were made for the Yatrees.
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He vowed that they would not face any trouble during their travel or stay in Pakistan during the pilgrimage. The chairman assured that officials and officers of ETPB would remain at their service 24 hours a day.
He said that they wanted better relations between India and Pakistan and had complete respect for their guests. One of the leaders of the Sikh pilgrims, Sardar Gurmeet Singh, said that they were delighted upon entering Pakistan. He went on to say that the pilgrims brought along with them a message of peace and love.
Sardar Virandar Singh, another leader of the community, said that Pakistan was the land of their gurus and held a special place for them.
Sardar Sohan Singh Gull and Sardar Baldev Singh said they were always treated with love in Pakistan and it was proof of the existing Muslim-Sikh friendship. ETPB had made special food arrangements and established a medical camp for pilgrims at the railway station.
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Rangers and Police had maintained extraordinary security arrangements on the occasion.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 in the Talwandi village of Punjab. The area is located in the village of Nankana Sahib near the provincial capital.
Every year, thousands of Yatrees come into Pakistan from India and other parts of the world to celebrate the birthday of their spiritual leader and founder of the Sikh religion. The Yatrees are all set to take part in the main ceremony to be held at Gurdawara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib on Saturday.
Evacuee Trust Property Board will also host a special ceremony in honour of the pilgrims on November 8 in Lahore.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2017.
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