TAXILA, April 14: Minister for Religious Affairs and Minorities Ijazul Haq on Friday said that a proposal was under consideration to start Hassanabdal-Amritsar bus service for Sikh pilgrims.

Speaking as chief guest at the concluding ceremony of the three-day Besakhi festival at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal, the minister said the government had taken a number of steps, including easing visa restriction, allocating funds for preservation of places of worship and bus and train services, to facilitate the minorities.

He said the Nankana Sahib-Amritsar bus service was facilitating Indian Sikh pilgrims and the government was working on launching the Hassanabdal-Amritsar service.

He said the government wanted to issue multiple entry visas to Sikh pilgrims.

He said the minorities enjoyed equal rights in the country and the government was making all out efforts to look after their religious places.

He said Gurdwara Punja Sahib was in the constituency of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and he had approved funds for its restoration and preservation.

The minister said the Evacuee Trust Property Board had spent Rs12 million during the current fiscal year on providing facilities at the gurdwara. He said Rs13 million would be spent on other facilities, including boarding, lodging and langar, over two years.

He said the government had decided to establish a three-star hotel near Punja Sahib and two motels in Lahore and Nankana Sahib.