LAHORE, PAKISTAN - Around 4,000 Sikh yatrees arrived here on Friday by special trains to attend the 542th birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak at his birthplace Nankana Sahib. Senior officers of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and Members of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) accorded warm welcome to the Sikh yatrees.
Soon after their arrival from India at Wahga Railway station, the yatrees left for Nankana Sahib where they will stay for three days and attend ceremonies. Palki (palanquin), the main feature of the celebrations will be held at Janamasthan (Nankana Sahib) on 21 November.
During their stay at Pakistan, the Sikh yatrees will also visit Sacha Sauda (Farooqabad). On November 22, they will leave for Punja Sahib (Hassan Abdal), on November 25, they will visit Dera Sahib Lahore and on November 26, they will visit Dera Rohri Sahib Aimanabad and Kirtarpur, Shakargarh for performing rituals.
The yatrees will return to their homeland India on November 28. The Government of Pakistan has made stringent security arrangements for the Sikh yatrees, besides the arrangements made by the custom, railway, immigration and other departments concerned to facilitate them. Speaking on the occasion, the Sikh yatrees expressed their satisfaction over the arrangements made by the government for them. The trade between the both countries could be improved with the improvement of relations, they added.