Sikh yatree dies of cardiac arrest after Baisakhi

Visiting yatrees hail arrangements barring some accommodation and exchange rate issues

RAWALPINDI: A Sikh yatree, who had travelled from Lahore to Hasanabdal, died after suffering a cardiac arrest in Rawalpindi.

Hoshyar Singh had attended the Baisakhi festival in Hasanabdal and had travelled to the Rawalpindi railway station to catch a train back to Lahore. Soon after he boarded the train, he complained of chest pains.

He was rushed to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (RIC) where he passed away while receiving treatment. After completing all legal formalities in the presence of police, his body was handed over to his cousin Charan Singh along with a death certificate.

Baisakhi arrangements appreciated

Sikh visitors, who celebrated Baisakhi at Panja Sahib in Hassanabdal over the weekend, have appreciated the arrangements made by the government for the annual festival. However, some have complained that those coming from outside the country were provided with tents while pilgrims from within the country were provided with rooms.

The visitors also termed Islamabad’s promise to open the Kartarpur border as the best gift of this century for Sikh pilgrims across the world. They expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by the government this year. They also appreciated the efforts made by the Pakistan government in de-escalating war hysteria and expressed that despite being Indian nationals, they were impressed by the steps that the Pakistan government took.

They said the war-hysteria was the biggest obstacle to development in both countries, adding that there were a lot of Indians who wanted peace with Pakistan.



Two Sikh pilgrims, Pardeep and Natwar Singh, complained that the local administration of Panja Sahib did not allocate enough rooms for those pilgrims who were travelling from other countries, adding that most of the rooms were allotted to Sikhs who had travelled from within the country.

Foreign pilgrims were mostly given tents which caused some difficulties after it rained. They suggested that the government should keep a check on the local administration because pilgrims from outside reserved first right to the rooms.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16^th, 2019.