LAHORE - A group of 455 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived in Pakistan through the Wagah border to participate in the Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary.
They were warmly welcomed and presented bouquets by Additional Secretary Shrines Saif Ullah Khokhar and Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs and President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora.
The Sikh pilgrims expressed immense joy upon arriving in Pakistan, stating that it was their good fortune to visit the land of their Gurus. Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, speaking to media representatives, highlighted that the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) had made excellent arrangements to host pilgrims from India and around the world. They are provided with accommodation, security, medical services, and transportation, making this land a paradise for minorities, he said and also mentioned the ongoing renovation and restoration work at Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Samadhi.
Additional Secretary Shrines Saif Ullah Khokhar added that special arrangements, including security, transportation, and medical facilities, had been made for the pilgrims. The pilgrims were transported to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal in VIP buses under tight security, where they will perform their religious rituals.
At the Wagah border, the pilgrims were welcomed by PSGPC members Sardar Mampal Singh, Satwant Singh, Deputy Secretary Abdullah Owais, Satwant Kaur, along with ASO Asim Chaudhry, APS Muhammad Mateen, Muhammad Waqar, and other board officers. According to the schedule, after staying for one day at Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassan Abdal, the pilgrims will travel to Nankana Sahib on June 23. During their stay at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, they will visit Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad on June 24 and then return to Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib. On June 25, the pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in Narowal, and after a one-day stay, they will proceed to Gurdwara Rohri Sahib in Eminabad on June 27, before returning to Lahore. The main ceremony commemorating Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s death anniversary will be held on June 29 at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore.
