LAHORE, Jan 3: Over 600 Sikhs left for India on Monday after performing religious rituals at different gurdwaras in the province.

They arrived here on Dec 27 in connection with the 300th death anniversary of Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, sons of Guru Gobind Singh, 10th guru of Sikhs.

During their stay, they visited the Gurdwara Mata Sahib in Kasur, the Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore, the Gurdwara Succha Soda in Farooqabad, the Gurdwara Rohri Sahib in Aimanabad, the Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal and the Gurdwara Janam Asthan in the Nankana Sahib and performed religious rituals.

Officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Pakistan Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee saw the pilgrims off at the Wagah Border and the airport. Talking to reporters, Priest Prof Darshan Singh welcomed the recent peace process between two countries.

He said the resumption of dialogue between them had given a sigh of relief to their people and its continuity would help promote peace in the region. He urged the governments of both countries to ease visa curbs to ensure the visit of maximum number of people to each other's country.

Identifying similarities between Islam and Sikhism, Mr Singh said the people of both religions believed in the oneness of God and humanity to man. He said several things were common in the culture of both Punjab. Former chief minister (Delhi) Madan Lal Khurana was also present among the visiting pilgrims.