NEW DELHI: Pakistan High Commission on Friday issued about 3,000 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to enable them to participate in the 552nd birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak in Pakistan on Nov 17-26.

According to a press release issued by the High Commission, the Sikh pilgrims during their stay in Pakistan will visit different Gurdwaras, including Gurd­wara Janam Asthan in Nan­kana Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

Visas to the Sikh pilgrims have been issued under the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, which provides for visit of 3,000 Sikh pilgrims from India for birthday celebrations of Guru Nanak.

Thousands of Sikh pilgrims residing in countries other than India will also be visiting Pakistan to attend the event.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken several initiatives to facilitate Sikh pilgrims, including the historic opening of the visa-free Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in November 2019 on the occasion of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. The newly built Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib complex was a gift by the people of Pakistan and their leadership to the Sikh community from India and worldwide.

Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commission in India extends felicitations to the Sikh community on the 552nd birth anniversary of the founder of Sikh religion. The High Commission also wish­­es a spiritually rewarding Yatra to the pilgrims visiting Pakistan on this occasion.

The issuance of maximum number of pilgrimage visas is in line with the government’s efforts for promoting visits to religious shrines in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2021