Sikh jatha to leave for Pakistan on June 21

AMRITSAR : A jatha of Sikh devotees will leave for Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah border on June 21 to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on June 29.

Harpal Singh Bhullar, president of the International Bhai Mardana Yaadgari Society based in Ferozepur, said the Pakistan high commission issued a total of 340 visas, out of which 65 were for them, 150 for the Khalra Mission Committee, 39 for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and 86 for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC).

“The jatha will leave from the Attari Railway station in a special train to be sent by Pakistan,” he said.

He said the Evacuee Trust Property Board, with the help of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), has made elaborate arrangements of boarding and lodging for devotes from India.

Bhullar said the main programme to observe the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been scheduled at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, where the tomb of the Maharaja is situated.

“The jatha will also visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Gurdwara Rorri Sahib in Gujranwala, Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Gurdwara Janam Asthan, Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Sauda (Farooqabad).”

Spokesperson of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee (SGPC), Daljit Singh Bedi, however, said the SGPC’s jatha will be led by its additional secretary, Balwinder Singh Jaurasingha. “The jatha will come back on June 30,” he said.

He said, “Those who have submitted their passports for the pilgrimage to the SGPC can collect their passports from its office on June 20.”