Around 1,200 Sikh yatrees arrived here from India through special trains via Wagha Border on Saturday. Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Syed Asif Hashmi and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees members Sardar Sham Singh, Sardar Soarn Singh and Sardar Bishan Singh and other officials from relevant departments received the yatrees at Wagha Railway Station.
Talking to journalists, the boards chairman said that during their ten-day stay here, the yatrees would attend the 310th Besakhi festival and perform their other religious rituals at Lahore, Punja Sahib, Nankana Sahib, Kirtarpur and Aimanabad.
The Pakistan government has made elaborate arrangements for their foolproof security measures, besides ensuring their boarding, messing, medical and travel facilities, he added. For the first time, he added, the Pakistan government had provided free transportation facility for the yatrees so that they could have an easy access to the worship place.
While new buildings and huts have been established in Nankana Sahib for their accommodation, he said, adding that this facility would be provided around their religious places under a phased programme.
After having nod by the Indian government, Pakistan would open a visa office at Amritsar to facilitate the intending Sikh yatrees, he responded to a questioner. Expressing their views with mediamen, the yatree group leaders Parmindar Singh Chuwal and Sohan Singh Gill have showed their satisfaction over the arrangements made by Pakistan government to facilitate the Sikh yatrees.