SHEIKHUPURA: Three-day celebrations of the 544 birth anniversary of founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak would commence on Nov 4 at Nankana Sahib.

Arrangements to provide all possible facilities have been finalised.

This was stated by Shrines Deputy Secretary Syed Faraz Abbas in a press conference here on Wednesday.

The focus was security measures, and Abbas said walkthrough gates, closed-circuit cameras and luggage scanners had been installed at Gurdwara Janam Asthan and other Sikh worship places in the city.

A new filtration plant had also been built in the Gurdwara to provide clean water to visitors.

Around 3,000 pilgrims from India are scheduled to reach Nankana Sahib by train through Wagah border on Nov 4. Similarly, 5,000 pilgrims from Dubai, Iran, the US, the UK, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and other parts of the world would also reach Nankana the same day.

Abbas said on Nov 7 the visiting pilgrims would travel to Gurdwara Sacha Sauda near Farooqabad in Sheikhupura district to perform their religious rites. While 10,000 Sikhs and 34 Hindus from interior Sindh and other parts of the country were also expected to participate in the 544 birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak,he added.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2014