LAHORE – Sikh pilgrims have started returning to their country on Saturday, after attending the religious Besakhi event in Pakistan, with a sizeable majority lavishing praise on the administration for suitable preparations.
According to officials, the first train left for India via the Wagah border with 650 Sikh pilgrims on board and a total of 1,730 pilgrims will return to India in three trains.
The Besakhi festival is a harvest festival in Punjab and many pilgrims from neighbouring India come to Pakistan every year for celebrations.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/baisakhi-2000-sikh-pilgrims-to-arrive-in-pakistan-to-mark-khalsa-birth/
Besakhi is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar as it is the Sikh New Year festival, which is celebrated on April 13 or 14, and also commemorates the birth of Khalsa, also commonly known as Baisakhi.
This year, controversy erupted during the pilgrims visit when a press statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of India alleged that its high commissioner in Pakistan had been barred from meeting Sikh pilgrims at Gurdwara Punjab Sahib in Hasan Abdal.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/pakistan-rejects-indian-allegation-about-sikh-pilgrims/
Foreign Office of Pakistan had rejected these ‘baseless’ Indian allegations and stated that it was deeply regrettable that facts in this matter had been completely distorted and misrepresented.
For decades, Pakistan had made excellent arrangements to facilitate visits of Sikh Yatrees from across the world, including India.
