‘Baisakhi preparations in full swing’

Official says Baisakhi celebrations will kick off on April 10

NIKKO, HASAN ABDAL:

Preparations are in full swing to observe Besakhi – a religious event celebrated annually to mark the beginning of the Sikh New Year – in Hasan Abdal.

This was disclosed by Hasan Abdal Assistant Commissioner Dr Sana Ramchand while speaking to The Express Tribune on Saturday.

Sana Ramchand, Pakistan’s first Hindu female assistant commissioner also said the grand event would portray Pakistan’s positive image abroad as scores of Sikh devotees visit Gurudwara Sri Panja Sahib Hassan Abdal every year from across the world.

Last year alone, over 2,100 Sikh pilgrims from India reached Hasan Abdal by special trains through Wagah Border to participate in the festival.

The Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Pakistan Gurdwara Committee will renovate and illuminate the religious places in the city in connection with the annual festival.

The official said that Baisakhi celebrations will kick off on April 10.

Moreover, the deputy commissioner emphasised that Pakistan is our homeland and we must overcome difficult circumstances for its prosperous future.

Speaking about the ongoing census, she said the census has already begun and it would require the cooperation of the public to achieve its objectives.

She lauded teachers for fulfilling census duties and urged the public to maintain a positive attitude toward them. “The public must remember that their participation in this effort is crucial for the future of the country's planning.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2023.