Guru Nanak’s 544th birth anniversary celebrations conclude

Pilgrims satisfied over security arrangements, upkeep of gurdwaras.

ATTOCK:

The 544th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, concluded with religious zeal at the Gurduwara Siri Punja Sahab at Hassanabadal on Saturday. The ceremony concluded with over 2,700 Sikh pilgrims, a majority from India, performing the Bhog ritual and reciting their sacred book Guru Granth Shaib.

The pilgrims expressed satisfaction over the arrangements taken by the government for their security and upkeep of the gurdwara.

Head of the Indian pilgrims, Dr Jang Bahadur Singh expressed satisfaction over the maintenance of Sikh temples in Lahore, Punja Sahib, Hassan Abdal and other parts of the country. “We will keep the message of love, peace and friendship and the warm reception given to us by the people of Pakistan,” said Singh.

“The [Pakistan] government has kept our gurdwaras in excellent condition and the love that the people showed us was beyond our expectations,” said World Muslim Sikh Federation Chairman Manmohan Singh, who came from UK to attend the ceremony. He hoped that the relations between India and Pakistan will further improve and they will have the freedom to visit the places where their parents and grandparents were born.



Deputy Secretary Shrines Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Syed Faraz Abbass said that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and ETPB had taken all elaborate security arrangements for the safety of the Sikh devotees.

Around 1,000 police personnel, in uniform and plain clothes, were deployed to ensure security cover to the pilgrims. Close
Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and walk-through gates were also installed around the temple, as rescue and health officials remained on alert.

The Indian pilgrims proceeded back on three special trains while those who had come from other countries departed by buses.

With additional input from APP

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2012.