Sikh devotees leave for Nankana Sahib from Delhi

Nagar Kirtan will enter Pakistan through Wagah on Thursday

LAHORE: A religious procession (Nagar Kirtan) of Sikh devotees from India on Monday began their spiritual journey to Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh religion.

The procession is led by Sardar Paramjit Singh, former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president, and includes representatives from different sections of the Sikh community in India. It was seen off by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Pakistan’s Acting High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah.

The Nagar Kirtan would enter Pakistan through the Wagah border on Thursday, October 31.

The procession from India is being welcomed by Pakistan as a special gesture this year on the occasion of the 550 th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.

Around 1,300 visas were issued for the religious event in addition to the jatha (a collective group) covered under the “Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines-1974” between Pakistan and India.

The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, with the support of Pakistan government, has prepared a detailed programme, spanning over a week, for the visiting devotees to perform different religious rituals at Sikh temples across the country, particularly Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur Sahib.



In accordance with the historic initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan to open the Kartarpur Corridor, set to be inaugurated on November 9 this year, Pakistan has facilitated visits of a number of Sikh jathas, not only from India but across the globe.

A special jatha led by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and DSGMC visited Nankana Sahib from July 30 to August 1 to kick start the celebrations of the founder’s 550th anniversary.

To facilitate the celebrations, Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi will issue additional visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims above the 3,000 limit allowed under the bilateral protocol for their visit to Sikh Gurdwaras in Pakistan from November 5-14.