LAHORE – Invitations to Sikh religion founder Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 551st birth anniversary have been issued in advance of the ceremony.
Five-day visa will be given to pilgrims, requisites for Visa includes a negative COVID-19 test report.
The three-day celebration known as Guru Nanak Gurpurab will begin on November 27 at Nankana Sahib, while celebrations will continue till the month’s end.
In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, pilgrims from India will not be allowed to get an extension to stay more. The special five-day Nankana Sahib Visa will effectively expire on the second of December.
Furthermore, Abandoned Waqf Property Board and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee have also sent regular invitations and itineraries to various other Sikh societies including the Shiromani Committee of India, to be a party to the festivities of Guru Nanak Gurpurab.
Abandoned Waqf Property Board official informed about the SOP’s for Baba Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary.
The schedule of pilgrims stay in Pakistan had to be revised in consideration of closed borders and the rising coronavirus cases in India although no new restrictions placed on the number of Indian Sikh pilgrims making the journey, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee Head Sardar Satwant Singh said.
As per the Pak-India bilateral agreement, 3,000 Indian Sikh pilgrims will be allowed entry into Pakistan for Gurpurab celebrations.”
However, this time around, visitors will only have the option of the Nankana Sahib Visa, unlike last year when Indian pilgrims had the option of a 10-day visa to visit multiple gurdwaras.
Sawant Singh said Indian pilgrims will be welcomed at the Wagah Border on 27 November, from where they will move to Nankana Sahib through special bus service.
On the other hand, it is reported that certain Sikh societies, including the Shiromani Committee of India, have requested the Indian government to open the Kartarpura Corridor on the event of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 551st birth anniversary.
While PTI’s government has shown its will to promote religious tourism in the country, there has so far been no positive response from the Republic of India on the matter.
