June 15, 2003	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 14, 1424

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LAHORE, June 14: Only 143 Sikh pilgrims, including women and children, arrived here from India on Saturday to attend a three-day Jore Mela at Dera Sahib near the Lahore Fort.

About 1,000 pilgrims were expected to come here to attend their religious ceremonies in connection with Guru Arjun Dev Jee Shaheedi Din called Jore Mela.

Failure in getting permission from the Indian government and refusal of visas by the Pakistan embassy are said to be the reasons for such a small number of yatrees.

They crossed the Wagah border at 10:30am and were welcomed by the officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the chairman of the Pakistan Gurdawara Parbandhak Committee. They reached the Dera Sahib and participated in the religious ceremonies already began at 8am.

Besides attending the Jore Mela, the Sikh pilgrims would visit Panja Sahib in Hassanabdal on Tuesday, Nankana Sahib on Wednesday, Saccha Soda in Farooqabad on Thursday and Rohri Sahab in Eimanabad on Friday.

They would return to India on June 22. Another batch of 200 Sikhs may arrive here either on June 21 or 22 to attend the 10-day religious ceremonies in connection with the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh beginning on June 21.