From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Pakistan is hosting around 3,000 Sikh pilgrims, arrived from India through Wagah Border to celebrate 553rd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in Kartarpur on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday welcomed the Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan to celebrate the 553rd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
“On this revered occasion, I welcome the Sikh pilgrims who have come to Pakistan from all over the world,” he said, expressing hope that they would have a wonderful stay in the country.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has made all the arrangements, including security, accommodation, medical and transport to facilitate the pilgrims.
On the directions of ETPB Chairman Abdul Rehman Ghilani, the officers and employees of the Board would remain busy day and night to serve the guests.
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal visited Gurdwara Janam Asthan to felicitate the Sikh pilgrims and said that Baba Guru Nanak taught the lesson of harmony and tolerance.
The Kartarpur corridor connects Pakistani and Indian Punjab, the place of Sikhism. The Corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2018, allowing visa-free access to Sikh pilgrims from India to visit the holy shrine.
The establishment of the Corridor reflected Pakistan’s continued commitment to facilitating Sikh pilgrims and was in line with the government’s efforts to promote religious tourism.
Since 1947, Sikh community of India and across the world was desirous of the access to the Gurdwara from India because it is just about 4-5 kilometers from Pakistan-India Border. Kartarpur Corridor is functioning under an MoU between Pakistan and India, which allowed 5,000 yatrees to enter from the Indian side on daily basis.
The Founder of Sikh Religion Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent the last 18 years of his life at Kartarpur. The Gurdwara is considered to be the most sacred shrine of Sikh religion.
Baba Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Katak Pooranmashi ‘full-moon of Kattak’. The pilgrims will return to the India through Wagha border on November 15.
