LAHORE, Western Punjab, Pakistan—After attaining a mutual understanding with the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has announced to grant visa to 10,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims to celebrate 550th birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Earlier, only 3,000 Sikhs were being granted visa every year since 1974 to participate in Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthday celebrations at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib.
The Pakistan authorities have passed a green signal to the apex Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee and other active groups to get ready for facilitating this opportunity to the common Sikhs.
Beside it, there will be no count limit on the number of non-Indian Sikhs willing to participate in the 550th birthday celebrations.
Pakistan will issue visas only to the SGPC & other groups and all of them will have to provide a list of pilgrims to ETPB. Beside it, no other individual apart from these will be granted a visa.
It is pertinent to note here that the Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousuf had already announced plan to release a memorable coin commemorating the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
