SHEIKHUPURA/SIALKOT  -   More than 3,000 Sikh Yatrees arrived in Sacha Sauda and Sialkot to participate in celebrations of 549th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak on Thursday.

In Sheikhupura, as many as 2,480 Sikh Yatrees arrived at Sacha Sauda, some six kilo metres away from here. The Yatrees performed religious rites at the Gurdawara amid tight security. The Sikh leader Sardar Amreet Singh while talking to media expressed satisfaction and gratitude over security measures and hospitality. He stressed the need for cordial and friendly relations between the two neighbouring countries. He also demanded soft visa system so the people from both sides could visit India and Pakistan easily.

On the other hand, three separate delegations of more than 700 male and female Sikh Yatrees from USA, Canada, India, Australia, Austria, and Indonesia visited Gurdawara Babey Di Beri in Sialkot amid tight security on Thursday.

They performed their religious rites there. Several Sikhs refreshed their per-partition sweet memories. They also exchanged gifts with the local people.

On the occasion, the Sikh Yatrees led by Sardar Dharmindar Singh, Naseeb-Pareet Kaur, and Sardar Baadal Singh hailed the Pakistan government’s sincere efforts for religious freedom of minorities and safeguarding their sacred places and Gurudawaras of the Sikh community in Pakistan.

They also thanked Pakistan for rendering splendid hospitality to the visiting Sikh Yatrees reached here from different countries.

The Sikh Yatrees, while talking to the newsmen, said that there was no doubt to say that Pakistan was peaceful country and the people of Pakistan were also very peace-loving. They added: “Pakistanis have given marvellous love, affection, care, and unforgettable hospitality to the visiting Sikh pilgrims.

They said that the felt it homelike while visiting Pakistan in a fully secured and love-filled atmosphere. “We have brought love here and will go back to our countries with the unforgettable love given by the people of Pakistan”, they stated.

They also pledged to make all-out sincere efforts to promote the soft image of Pakistan in the world as a peaceful and peace-loving country.

They also wished durable peace and people-to-people strong relations between both Pakistan and India, stressing the need for peace talks between the nuclear neighbours. “There is no doubt to say that people of Pakistan and India desire durable peace between the two nations,” they added.

Later, the Sikh Yatrees also visited Gurdawara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur-Shakargarh and Gurdawara Rori Sahib Eimanabad. They performed their religious rites there.