Baisakhi celebrations begin in Pakistan
More than 1,400 Sikhs from India on Friday celebrated Baisakhi in Hassan Abdal, a town in Pakistan’s Punjab province, which is one of the most sacred sites of Sikhism.
Officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee also took part in the festivities, which were inaugurated by ETPB chairman Siddiqul Farooq.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the board would continue facilitating the visiting pilgrims.
He said the ETPB was establishing Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib and Ghandara University in Taxila.
“The federal higher education commission has allocated ₹1 billion for each project and construction work will soon begin,” he said and reiterated that the people of both countries want peace.
To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of Sikh religion, throng at Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassan Abdal.
The celebrations start when devotees with flowers and offerings in their hands, proceed towards gurdwaras and temples before dawn.
The Indian Sikhs would also visit Gurdwara Janamesthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad, Gurdawara Kartarpur Narowal and Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore.
The “yatris” (pilgrims from India) pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on April 18, Kartarpur Narowal on April 19 and return to Lahore on the same day.
A seminar title ‘Besakhi’ will be held in Lahore on April 20 where Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana will be the chief guest.
The “yatris” will return to India on April 21.