Around 3,000 Sikh Yatrees (pilgrims) reached Pakistan from India through the Wagah Border crossing here on Saturday to participate in the 554nd birth anniversary of Sikh religion founder Baba Guru Nanak Dev Jee.

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Additional Secretary (Shrines) Rana Shahid Saleem, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) Pardhan Sardar Ameer Singh, committee members Sardar Satwant Singh, Sardar Sardar Rawinder Singh and others, warmly welcomed the pilgrims.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) Amritsar party leader Khushmindar Singh told media on arrival to Pakistan that special love for Pakistanis compelled them to visit the country again and again.

He recalled that he had visited the sacred land of Pakistan three times, commenting that facilities and arrangements for pilgrims improved every time. He said that Sikh yatrees were contented with the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, adding, “We are grateful to the Pakistan government, particularly the ETPB, for making arrangements for protection of Gurdwaras in Pakistan.”

Additional Secretary shrines Rana Shahid Saleem, in his welcome address to the guests, mentioned that the ETPB had made foolproof security arrangements besides accommodation and travelling facilities for Sikh pilgrims.

Special marquees have also been installed and special buses arranged for pilgrims, he added. Officers and employees of the ETPB will remain busy day and night to serve the guests, he said and added that the board was making an all-out effort to facilitate the pilgrims.

He mentioned that foolproof security arrangements had been made for Sikh pilgrims, coming from across the globe including India. “We warmly welcome all Sikh pilgrims coming from across the world with open hearts,” he maintained.

PSGPC Pradhan Sardar Ameer Singh said that he had grateful to his parents to decide to live in Pakistan at the time of partition as the land is like Makkah and Madinah for Sikhism.

He demanded restarting trains which was stopped by the Indian authorities as it was vital to facilitate pilgrims. He said the ETPB had completed all the arrangements in consultation with the prabandhak committee.

During the 10-day stay in Pakistan from Nov 25 to Dec 4, the pilgrims will visit Gurdwara Janamasthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassanabdal, Gurudwara Sacha Sauda, Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore, Gurudwara Rohri Sahib Aimenabad and Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur Narowal.