Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary marked: Sikh pilgrims perform religious rites

LAHORE: The main ceremony of Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary was held at Gurdwara Janmashtham Nankana Sahib, in which Sikh pilgrims from all over the world, including India, performed religious rituals.

Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik and Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs/Pradhan Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora attended the ceremony while Minority Members of Punjab Assembly, Chairman ETPB, Additional Secretary Shrines, members of PSGPC Sardar Satwant Singh, Sardar Tara Singh, Sardar Dr Mampal Singh, Satwant Kaur, UK, USA, Australian Sangat and a large number of Sikh community were present at the ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony, Provincial Minister Ramesh Singh Arora congratulated the Sikh community on the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Ji and said that today is a very happy day for the Sikh community around the world.

Ramesh Singh Arora said that the PML-N is honored that for the first time a Sikh member made provincial minister while Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz herself participated in the Baisakhi festival and lit a lamp of peace in the Diwali ceremony.

Addressing the ceremony, Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik said that such events play a key role in promoting interfaith harmony. He praised the officials of the ETPB and said that the new building and 100 rooms in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib are going to be completed very soon. Peace and love have always been propagated from Pakistan, however, it is necessary to discourage the winds came from India, he added.

Chaudhry Salik further said that all religious minorities in Pakistan enjoy complete freedom while the work of renovating Gurdwaras in Kartarpur, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Okara etc. is going on, he prayed that the relationship of Sikh-Muslim friendship continues to flourish. At the end of the ceremony, the distinguished guests were presented with saroopas while the palanquin( Palki) procession passed through different routes and ended returned to Nankana Sahib Gurdwara.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif in her message on the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji congratulated the Sikh community across the globe.

She said, “Baba Guru Nanak is always a torchbearer of humanity, love and brotherhood. Peaceful societies are built on the basis of tolerance and brotherhood. Baba Guru Nanak exhorted the humanity to share each other’s sorrows and griefs.”

She added, “Minority card will be made functional for the destitute minority brothers and sisters of Punjab in December. Rs.10,000 will be given every quarter to the impecunious strata of minority brothers and sisters from the ‘minority card.’ Minority Virtual Police Station will be established to further ensure protection of minorities.”

She said, “Every citizen should be provided all the basic facilities and rights irrespective of his/her religion. We have to collectively make our dear holy land an example of peace, harmony and tolerance.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024