As many as 3,000 Sikh pilgrims from India arrived Friday by a train to participate in celebrations of the 547th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Siddiqul Farooq and leaders of the Sikh community welcomed the pilgrims at the Wagha Railway Station.
On the occasion, the ETPB chairman told the media that out class arrangements had been made for the guests on the directions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
He expressed his hope that Sikh pilgrims from other countries would be happy to see beauty, development and security of their religious places in Pakistan.
Talking to the media, leader of the Sikh group Sardar Gurumeet Singh said place of Sikh gurus and love given by Pakistanis forced them to visit the country again and again.
He thanked the prime minister and the government for the best arrangements.
After the arrival in the country, Sikh pilgrims set off for Hasan Abdal via a special train where they would stay for three days to perform rituals.
The pilgrims will arrive at Nankana Sahib on November 22 and they will go to Farooqabad on November 24 while the main ceremonies of the birth anniversary will be held on November 25 at Gurudawara Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib.
The pilgrims will stay in Lahore from November 26 to 26 and they will go to Gurudawara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, Narowal on November 27. After performing their religious services, Sikh pilgrims will return their country on November 29.
Earlier, the Pakistani High Commission issued visas to about 3,000 Sikh pilgrims to participate in birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak.
A spokesperson for the Commission said the visas have been issued to almost all applicants without any delay. The visas grant Sikh pilgrims nine days stay in Pakistan from November 20 to 29.
