Baba Guru Nanak anniversary: Pakistan to welcome Sikh pilgrims today

LAHORE: Pakistan is set to welcome more than 8,000 Sikh pilgrims from across the world, including India today as the community celebrates the 552nd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak, the founder of the religion.

The news of Indian pilgrims comes after the Indian government announced that it would reopen the Kartarpur Corridor today. The opening came after Indian Sikhs had forced the Narendra Modi-led government to accept their demand of allowing them to visit Pakistan to celebrate Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary.

According to the Indian media, Sikh members of the Indian Parliament from the BJP had requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open the Kartarpur Corridor which was closed since March 2020 due to Covid-19.

“In a major decision, that will benefit large numbers of Sikh pilgrims, PM Narendra Modi govt has decided to re-open the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor from Nov 17,” Indian Home Minister Amit Shah wrote on Twitter.

The Indian minister hoped that the government’s decision to reopen the corridor will further boost joy and happiness across the country.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued around 3,000 visas to Indian pilgrims to participate in the celebrations.

“Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued around 3,000 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to participate in the 552nd birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak in Pakistan from November 17 to November 26, 2021. Thousands of Sikh pilgrims residing in countries other than India would also be visiting Pakistan to attend the event,” the Pakistan High Commission in India had announced last week.

During their stay in Pakistan, the Sikh pilgrims will pay obeisance at different Gurdwaras including Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

Pakistan has also given special permission to the Sikh pilgrims from India, US, UK, Afghanistan and Canada among other countries to join the celebrations.

Addressing his weekly press briefing last week, Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar had said that Pakistan had opened the Kartarpur Corridor from its side and India was also expected to allow the Sikh pilgrims desiring to join the upcoming birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak from November 17-26.