LAHORE: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi accorded a stately welcome to the visiting overseas Sikh yatrees(pilgrims) and invited them to the State Guest House in Lahore for a luncheon.

The 44-member Sikh yatrees delegation from the United States (US) is led by Dr. Dilvir Singh Panu, Surjeet Singh Hoti, Ranjeet Singh Kahlon and Lakshman Singh.

Welcoming the Sikh yatrees, the Interior Minister said the government had created ease for the Sikh yatrees to visit their places of worship in Pakistan, adding that the Sikhs had to face difficult in acquisition of visa in the past.

“During my stint as Chief Minister Punjab, I tried to resolve the issues faced by the Sikh yatrees,” Naqvi said, adding it was a priority to facilitate the Sikh yatrees in Pakistan.

He said the visa process had been made easy for the American, Canadian and British Sikhs, adding they could apply for the free of charge visa online now.

“The Sikhs holding British, American and Canadian passports may get a visa within 30 minutes if they apply for the visa online,” the Interior Minister said. He said the American, Canadian and British Sikhs of Indian origin may also avail this facility.

He said the yatrees would be welcomed with the same warmth whether they visited Pakistan once or multiple times in a year.

“The land of Pakistan is as holy for the Sikhs as Saudi Arabia for Muslims,” Naqvi acknowledged, adding that the other holy sites of the Sikh community would be opened and no permit would be required for the visit.

He said the Sikh yatrees would be able to visit other holy places in future besides Hasan Abdal, Kartarpur, Nankana Sahib and Lahore, adding that all obstacles would be removed in this regard.

The Interior Ministers said the government wished that more and more Sikh yatrees including the young Sikh should visit Pakistan to pay homage to the father of Sikh religion Baba Guru Nanka Dev Ji.

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The Sikh yatrees thanked the Pakistan government for the hospitality and the free online visa service. The yatrees said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had won their hearts with the warm welcome accorded to them in Lahore.