LAHORE: Nearly 3,000 Sikh pilgrims will arrive in Lahore on Saturday (today) from India via Wagah to attend the Vaisakhi festival.

According to an official source in the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), a total of 2,975 visas have been issued to the Sikh pilgrims by the Pakistan High Commission (New Delhi) in this regard.

The official told Dawn that soon after their arrival, the pilgrims will depart for Hasanabdal (Gurdwara Panja Sahib) where they will attend the main ceremony of the festival on Sunday (tomorrow). On April 15, they will reach Nankana Sahib and on April 16, they will visit the local Gurdawaras.

On April 17, they will visit Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad (Sheuikhupura). On April 18, they will depart for Gurdawara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur. On April 20, they will depart for Lahore via Gurdawara Rori Sahib, Emanabad.

On April 21, they will stay at Gurdawra Dera Sahib in Lahore, and finally return to India on April 22 via Wagah border.

LWMC: The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC), in collaboration with district administration under Eidul Fitr cleaning plan, washed more than 1,500 mosques and eidgahs with lime.

The teams also cleaned 250 small and large graveyards in the city.

Additionally, rose water was sprinkled at Data Darbar and its surroundings on Chand Raat, while 149 commercial markets were made zero waste.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2024