6,700 Sikh pilgrims in Pakistan for Baisakhi, highest in 50 years
Baisakhi marks the Sikh new year and commemorates the formation of Khalsa panth under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. This would be the 326th founding anniversary of Khalsa and the ceremony will be held at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib.
Sikh pilgrims before leaving for Pakistan, in Amritsar on Thursday. (Rana Simranjit Singh) MORE THAN 6,700 Sikh pilgrims from India crossed over to Pakistan Thursday to participate in Baisakhi festivities and commemorate the Khalsa Sajna Diwas, the founding of the Khalsa sect, on April 14. As per Pakistan government, this is the first time in 50 years that so many Indian Sikh pilgrims — more than double the usual — were issued visas for the festival.
Baisakhi marks the Sikh new year and commemorates the formation of Khalsa panth under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. This would be the 326th founding anniversary of Khalsa and the ceremony will be held at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) said, this time, the number of pilgrims is the highest for any festival in several years. The pilgrims include residents of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and 11 other states.
SGPC and other Sikh bodies send pilgrims to Pakistan under the Simla Agreement of 1972 on four occasions: the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak (November 15), Baisakhi, the martyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev (June 16), and the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (June 27).
Under the Pakistan-India Religious Protocol Agreement 1974, up to 3,000 Sikh pilgrims are permitted to visit Pakistan for any religious festival. However, the Pakistan granted 3,751 additional visas at the special request of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the Dawn quoted ETPB additional secretary Saifullah Khokhar as saying.
Khokhar, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interfaith Harmony Khel Das Kohistani, Punjab Minorities Minister Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, and ETPB secretary Farid Iqbal welcomed the Sikh pilgrims at the Wagah Border check post.
The pilgrims include 1,942 individuals from a group coordinated by SGPC, its secretary Partap Singh said. “SGPC had submitted 1,942 passports to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, which has now issued the required visas. After a long time, all the visa requests were accepted.”
Punjab Minorities Minister Arora said for the first time in history, the Pakistan government issued visas for all the applications received from Sikh pilgrims.
SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami wrote a letter to Saad Warraich, Chief Commissioner at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, expressing his gratitude for “generously granting visas to Sikh pilgrims”. Dhami said such a decision not only respects the religious sentiments but also contributes significantly to strengthening the cultural and communal ties between India and Pakistan.
One of the pilgrims said, “My visa request to visit…Pakistan was denied twice. I had no hope this time. I prayed to the Almighty…so that I could get a visa. I am very happy that now, finally, I can go to Nankana Sahib,” said Harvider Singh, 57, from Moga.
ETPB Secretary Iqbal said the board has ensured comprehensive arrangements for accommodation, medical facilities, transport, and other services for the pilgrims. Due to the high number, the pilgrims were divided into two groups. The first group went to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal, while the second headed to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. Both groups will arrive at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib — the birthplace of Guru Nanak — on Saturday.
On Sunday, they will visit Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad. The main ceremony of the Baisakhi will be held on April 14 at Gurdwara Janam Asthan. On April 15, one group will travel to Kartarpur, while the other will go to Gurdwara Panja Sahib. On April 17, both groups will pay their respects at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore and will visit Gurdwara Rohri Sahib in Eminabad. They will return to India on April 19.
— With PTI inputs
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