As many as 400 Sikh Yatris (pilgrims) arrived in Lahore yesterday to participate in the celebrations to mark 176th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh.
Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq received the pilgrims at Wagha railway station. Some local Sikhs and ETPB officials were also present.
Speaking to the media, Farooq said the arrival of Sikhs in Pakistan had nothing to do with politics. “Sikhs are our brothers. They are our guests. Arrangements have been made to provide them food and security during their stay,” he said.
He thanked the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Railways, Interior Affairs and the Rangers for their cooperation in this regard. He said holy places of Sikhs were as sacred for Muslims as their own worship places.
He said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi should talk of peace because any unrest in the region was dangerous for Pakistan and India. “Modi’s agenda might be economic growth but the agenda of [Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif is to bring about peace.”
Farooq said he hoped that the recent telephonic conversation between the two leaders would help mitigate tensions between Pakistan and India.
“Pakistan wants to resolve all issues, including the Kashmir dispute, with India through dialogue. Pakistanis, including Sikhs and Hindus, want peace.” He called upon the people of Pakistan and India to play their part to promote good relationship between the two countries.
Ram Pal Singh Bhenival, a Sikh leader, thanked the government of Pakistan and the ETPB for according them a warm welcome.
Earlier, the train carrying the Sikh pilgrims reached the Wagha railway station five hours late than the scheduled time.
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The pilgrims will be staying in Nankana Sahib from June 21 to June 24. They will visit Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal on June 25. On June 26, they will arrive at Dera Sahib, Lahore, and perform rituals for the anniversary on June 29. The pilgrims will return to India on June 30.
Earlier four members of a Sikh family had gone missing during their visit to Pakistan from April 11 to 20. They were in the country to celebrate Besakhi. The ETPB had lodged an FIR in this regard.
The missing included 38-year-old Sunil Singh, his 27-year-old wife Sunita, their nine-year-old daughter Huma Kaur and 10-year-old son Umer Singh. Tibbi City police had registered an FIR under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act 1946 under which they could be imprisoned for up to three years.
“The authorities in Pakistan have tightened security and are keeping a check on us since that incident,” a Sikh pilgrim remarked.
