Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday felicitated the Sikhs on the occasion of the Baisakhi festival as about 3,000 Indian Sikhs arrived in Punjab province to participate in the celebrations.
In his message, Prime Minister Sharif described Baisakhi as the 'symbol of spring season and the festival of spreading love and happiness'.
He said “Pakistan is a beautiful blend of different faiths and cultures" and the colour of Baisakhi further added to this beauty.
Sharif said that the Government of Pakistan and its provincial governments will provide all-out facilities to Sikh pilgrims coming from all over the world to perform Baisakhi rituals.
The main event of the Sikh religious festival, Baisakhi Mela, will be held at Gurudwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal on Sunday.
Thousands of Sikh pilgrims from all over the world, including India will participate. Minority leaders will also participate in the event.
Pakistan has extended visas to 2,843 Indian Sikh pilgrims, granting them the opportunity to engage in the festivities of Baisakhi Mela and Khalsa Janam Din.
The pilgrims would attend the main event of Baisakhi Mela at the Gurudwara Panja Sahib in Punjab province on Sunday.
Subsequently, on April 15, the pilgrims will travel to Nankana Sahib from Hasanabdal, where they will pay homage to Sacha Sauda (Farooqabad) during their stay.
This will be followed by a visit to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur (Narowal) on April 18.
The pilgrimage will continue with a visit to Gurdwara Rori Sahib (Eminabad) on April 20, where the pilgrims will spend a day in contemplation.
The culmination of the spiritual journey will see the Sikh pilgrims bidding farewell to Pakistan on April 22, marking the completion of their 10-day pilgrimage.
Sardar Ramesh Singh, the head of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and provincial minister for minority affairs in Punjab, said that Basakhi and Khalsa Janam Day are distinct festivals.
He recounted the historical significance of Baisakhi, stating that on this day in 1699, the tenth Guru Gobind founded the Sikh Panth at Anandpur Sahib.
Pakistan is home to several Sikh religious sites and every year thousands of followers of the religion visit the country for sacred rites.