Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom: 144 Sikh pilgrims reach Pakistan

Lahore, June 8

A total of 144 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan to take part in the annual festival to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru of Sikhs.

Evacuee Trust Property Board and Pakistan Gurdwara Sikh Parbandhak Committee officials received the pilgrims at the Wagah border. The pilgrims were here to attend festivities in connection with the Jor Mela, ETPB spokesperson Amir Hashmi said.

He said langar was served to all visiting pilgrims at Wagah before their departure for Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal city of Pakistan’s Punjab province by train. “During their stay, the pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Janmasthan Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib, Narowal and Dera Sahib, Lahore and will return to their homeland on June 17.”

Talking to reporters at the Wagah Border, Sikh group leader Sukh Mandar Singh said: “Pakistan is our second homeland. We have come here to attend our religious rituals.” He also urged the Pakistani government to issue visas to more Indian Sikhs so that they could pay a visit to their holy places in the neighbouring country. The issuance of visas is covered under the framework of Pakistan-India Protocol on visits to Religious Shrines of 1974.