HASSAN ABDAL: Sikh community on Sunday is celebrating Baisakhi festival at Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hassan Abdal, Radio Pakistan reported.
About 2,206 Sikh pilgrims have arrived in Lahore from India to participate in the annual celebrations.
Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board Tahir Ehsan, Secretary Board Tariq Wazir, Pardhan Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Sardar Tara Singh, local Sikh leaders and board officials had received them warmly.
The security measures are much tightened; as many as 2,500 policemen have been deployed to ensure protection of the pilgrims during the four-day long festival.
Baisakhi is a historical religious festival in Sikhism, which is celebrated in mid of April. This event marks the Punjabi and Sikh new year. It is a spring harvest festival for the Sikhs.
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It may be noted that Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has issued 2200 visas to Indian Sikh Pilgrims for the festival.
In a tweet on Tuesday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said visas were issued in line with Pakistan’s efforts to promote interfaith harmony and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
