SIALKOT - Hundreds of Sikh pilgrims refreshed their per-partition memories during a visit to their native homes in Sialkot, Zafarwal and surrounding areas and demanded visa-free entry into Pakistan to rituals at their religious places.
Approximately 800 yatrees performed their religious rites at Baba Guru Nanak shrine in Kartarpur-Shakargarh and distributed charity food and sweets, besides, exchanging gifts with the local people. They enjoyed themselves with the wheat harvesting in the fields and performed “Bhangra” there on the drum beats with the local people as part of the Besakhi Mela.
Later, they stressed a need for durable peace in Indo-Pak Subcontinent for the regional development, peace and prosperity. They said that Pakistan was a peace-loving country and also the Pakistani people intended to see durable peace globally.
The Sikh Yatrees included Sardar Parbeet Singh, Parkhas Kumar, Sukhbir Singh, Boota Singh, Narindar Kumar, Reena Kapur, Dil Jeet Kaur, Sawarn Kaur, Badal Singh, Ritti Kaur, Maninder Singh, Shaam Singh, Uttar Singh and Labha Singh from London-UK, Australia, Canada, Germany, India and Norway.
Talking to newsmen here, they said that the world community must come forward and use its complete influence for peace in this Subcontinent. They said that both the nuclear neighbours Pakistan and India should immediately restart the peace talks in the larger interest of the peoples of Pakistan and India.
The Sikhs also thanked the government of Pakistan for protecting the Sikhs’ sacred places, especially Gurdwaras in Pakistan. They said that the Sikh community was ready to play a role for establishing durable peace in the region. Earlier, they also visited their native houses in surrounding areas of Sialkot amid tight security to refresh their pre-partition memories. They also met with their old friends and their children and distributed sweets and exchanged gifts.