TAXILA: Around 450 Indian Sikh devotees offered their religious rituals at Gurdwara Punja Sahib, Hassanabdal on Saturday on the occasion of 177th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Besides police, elite force and officials from different law enforcement agencies patrolled the area around Sikh temple to avert any untoward incident and ensure security and safety of visiting Sikh pilgrims.

The Indian Sikh pilgrims under the leadership of Sardar Gurmeet Singh offered Matha Taki, Ashnan and visited Baba Wali Qandhari hill.

On this occasion, Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) with the help of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) had made arrangements of boarding and food for them.

Talking to Dawn, ETPB deputy secretary shrines, Imran Gondal said the government had provided maximum facilities to the pilgrims so that they could perform their religious rituals in an amicable manner. Responding to a question, he said, due to current law and order situation, foolproof security had been provided to them.

Expressing satisfaction over the arrangements made by the Pakistan government, group leader Gurmeet Singh said that they would feel pleasure to visit their worship places in Pakistan.

According to schedule of the Indian Sikh pilgrimage, they will go to Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 26. On June 27, the yatrees will visit Rohri Sahib in Aimanabad and Darbar Kartarpur in Narowal and return to Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on the same day. The main ceremony in this regard will be held at Gurdwara Dera on June 29.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2016