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LAHORE, Nov 02 (APP): Under the supervision of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Federal Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, all arrangements for the 556th birth anniversary (Gurpurab) of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji have been finalized.
The arrival of Sikh pilgrims from across the world is continuing, while Sikh yatris from India will enter Pakistan through the Wagah Border on November 4.
According to Nasir Mushtaq, Additional Secretary Shrines, ETPB, all necessary facilities for the visiting pilgrims, including accommodation, langar (community kitchen), transportation, cleanliness, and healthcare, have been completed. In coordination with the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), all arrangements at the gurdwaras have been made fully functional to facilitate the devotees.
He said that, as per the special directions of Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and ETPB Chairman Dr. Sajid Mahmood Chauhan, all Sikh pilgrims arriving from India and abroad will be received with utmost respect, honor, and hospitality.
Foolproof security measures have been implemented for the celebrations, with the deployment of Rangers, Police, Special Forces, and the ETPB Security Wing. Metal detectors have been installed, and a strict “zero tolerance” policy will be maintained regarding security. Special VIP transport facilities will also be provided. Major gurdwaras, including Gurdwara Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hasan Abdal, Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Farooqabad, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, have been beautifully decorated in celebration of the event.
The Additional Secretary added that ETPB staff will remain on duty around the clock to ensure smooth facilitation and that no pilgrim faces any inconvenience. “We want our Sikh guests to return to their homelands with pleasant memories of Pakistan as a land of love, peace, and respect,” he said.
The main ceremony of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth anniversary will be held on November 5 at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib.
According to the official schedule, Sikh pilgrims will arrive in Pakistan via Wagah Border on November 4, where they will be received by Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq, PSGPC President Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, and senior officials. The pilgrims will then proceed under tight security to Nankana Sahib.
After attending the main ceremony on November 5, the yatris will visit Gurdwara Sacha Sauda on November 6, and then travel to Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasan Abdal, for a one-day stay. They will proceed to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, on November 8, followed by a visit to Gurdwara Rohri Sahib, Eminabad, on November 10. The pilgrims will then arrive in Lahore, where they will stay for two days at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, before departing for India on November 13.