Punjab Minister for Minorities Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has announced to restore more than fifty Gurdwaras across Punjab, as Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif extended a warm welcome to Sikh pilgrims arrived to participate in the Vaisakhi – a vibrant spring harvest festival in Punjab and the Sikh New Year.
Followers of the sikhism celebrate Vaisakhi with Nagar Kirtan processions, traditional music, and community feasts, embodying themes of faith, sacrifice, and agricultural prosperity. In her message, Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that the Vaisakhi festival reflects vibrant colors of happiness, which truly represents the spirit and beauty of Punjab. She said it was an honor for the people of Punjab to host their Sikh brethren on their sacred land.
Via Lahore, more than two thousand Sikh pilgrims from India reached Gurdwara Janmashthan in Nankana Sahib through special buses. Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora aso announced that a state-of-the-art 40-room residential complex would be constructed at the Gurdwara Sri Kyara Sahib in Nankana Sahib to provide modern accommodation facilities for pilgrims. The pilgrims expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and thanked the Punjab government for facilitating their visit, describing Pakistan as a haven of peace and interfaith harmony.
At Nankana Sahib, the local and foreign pilgrims visited historic places of worship, and paid obeisance at the Gurdwara Sri Kiara Sahib, Gurdwara Tambu Sahib, Gurdwara Balian Sahib, Gurdwara Patti Sahib and Gurdwara Malji Sahib. Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Additional Secretary for Shrines Nasir Mushtaq reviewed the arrangements and briefed about the facilities for the pilgrims. He also conformed transport, accommodation and medical facilities for Sikh pilgrims.
He said that the government issued 2,800 visas to Sikh pilgrims; however, around 600 pilgrims could not travel due to various reasons. He said Pakistan has always kept its doors open for Sikh pilgrims from across the world and has never prevented anyone from performing their rituals. The pilgrims stated that they were provided with excellent facilities, and hospitality, for which they expressed gratitude to the government.
Overall around 8,000 devotees from across the world will participate in the main Baisakhi ceremony that will be held on April 14 at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal. The pilgrims are scheduled to visit Kartarpur Sahib and Sacha Sauda. In a statement, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora described Pakistan as a sacred land of Baba Guru Nanak, where followers of all religions enjoy freedom to practise their faith. Sardar Surjit Singh from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee called Pakistan a peace-loving country and expressed the desire of Sikhs worldwide to visit their holy sites here.
