LAHORE: Pakistan has welcomed more than 2,800 Sikh pilgrims from India who have arrived in Lahore via the Wagah border to participate in the annual Baisakhi festival, which begins today.
The Sikh pilgrims will be attending the main event at Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hasan Abdal on April 14, and will also visit Dera Sahib, Panja Sahib, Nankana Sahib, and Kartarpur Sahib during their visit.
Speaking to a private news channel, the Additional Secretary of Evacuee Trust Property Board, Rana Shahid, welcomed the Sikh pilgrims and said that all arrangements related to clean washrooms, clean drinking water, trains, sitting arrangements, and security had been made available for the Sikh yatrees.
He also added that after attending the main ceremony at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib, the pilgrims would also visit Nankana Sahib and other places.
One of the Sikh delegates commented that they were very happy to come to Pakistan as its people gave a message of brotherhood by promoting peace in the subcontinent.
Another delegate added that the arrangements made by the Pakistan government for them are impressive.
Baisakhi festival celebrations every year
It is worth mentioning that every year, a large number of Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to participate in various religious festivals and events. The pilgrims will be leaving for India on April 18 after performing religious rituals.
The annual Baisakhi festival is one of the most significant festivals for the Sikh community, and it marks the beginning of the Sikh New Year.
It is celebrated on April 13 or 14 every year, and Sikhs from all over the world visit various gurdwaras to offer their prayers and seek blessings.
The festival also commemorates the formation of Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
