LAHORE: At least 104 pilgrims from India arrived here through the Wagah border on Sunday to participate in the 309th birth anniversary of Sant Shada Ram in Mirpur Mathelo, Sindh.

Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) officials received the pilgrims at the border. The board arranged two bogies of a night coach which would transport the pilgrims to Sukkur from where they would be taken to Shadani Darbar in Hayat Pitafi.

Majority of the pilgrims left for Sukkur, while some first visited Gurdwara Dera Sahib and were later transported to Sukkur.

The pilgrims’ group leader Yud­h­­is­hter Lal, talking to the media, said that the yatrees belonged to 10 Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh.

“Pakistan is the land of several gurus and saints and we always receive love and peace here.”

He said the governments from both sides should promote peace and allow pilgrims to visit their religious places without any problems. “We are very thankful to the ETPB officials for managing this yatra,” he added.

ETPB chairman Siddiqul Farooq, additional secretary (shrines) Tariq Parvaiz Khan, Deputy Secretary Faraz Abbas and ETPB spokesman Aamir Husain Hashimi were also present at the border to receive the pilgrims.

Mr Farooq told the media that they were hosting the pilgrims to promote peace between India and Pakistan. Special measures had been taken and the infrastructure of all religious places of minorities had been improved and the yatrees could feel the difference, he said, adding that all yatrees who wanted to visit their religious places in Pakistan would be facilitated.

Mr Farooq said the ETPB was organising the main ceremony for the birth anniversary of Guru Shada Ram in Sukkur and members of national and provincial assemblies and minority leaders would participate in it.

The pilgrims would be transported to Sukkur by train and later taken to Shadani Darbar by buses. ETPB and security officials would also accompany the yatrees.

The pilgrims will return to Lahore on the morning of Nov 30 and leave for India the same day.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2017