Pak: 3,000 Sikhs to mark Guru's martyrdom day

Amritsar, June 8: Over 3,000 Sikh pilgrims from India are expected to cross over to Pakistan on June 12 and 13 to mark the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh, after arriving here from Pakistan yesterday, said a procession comprising 200 devotees would go across the Wagah border on June 12, while 3,000 devotees would go to Pakistan by train on June 13.

The SGPC president, along with senior SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bhaur and Shiromani Akali Sal (SAD) secretary Daljit Singh Cheema today returned after holding talks with Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and the Punjab government of Pakistan for the visit of the Sikh devotees to the Gurdwaras in Pakistan.

Mr Avtar Singh told reporters that the Pakistan government had permitted only 200 devotees to cross the Wagah check post.

The SGPC chief said that the PSGPC could provide accommodation to only 3,000 pilgrims from India as the Sikh devotees from other countries were also arriving in large numbers to Pakistan to participate in the three-day event to mark the 400th martyrdom of Sikhisms fifth Guru.

UNI