Sikhs to mark 470th death anniversary of Guru Nanak

Lahore, Sept 20 (PTI) About 300 Sikh devotees from India
are expected to arrive in Pakistan on Monday to attend events
marking the 470th death anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev,
officials said on Sunday.

After entering Pakistan through the Wagah border,
pilgrims will go to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in
Narowal, 80 km from here, to attend the main function marking
the 470th death anniversary of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism,
on Tuesday.

"Though the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays will have begun by
then, we will manage to facilitate the pilgrims," Fraz Abbas,
Deputy Director (shrines) of the Evacuee Trust Property Board,
told PTI.

Over 1,000 Indian Sikhs usually travelled to Pakistan
for the event called 'Joti Jot' but their numbers had
drastically fallen after relations between the two countries
were strained in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.

On the directions of ETPB Chairman Asif Hashmi, free
transport will be provided to the Sikh 'yatris' or pilgrims
for the first time.

The pilgrims will also spend a day at Gurdwara Dera
Sahib in Lahore.

According to the ETPB, which looks after the shrines
of Sikhs and Hindus in Pakistan, some 100 Hindus from Sindh
province have also reached Kartarpur to attend the functions.

The Indian Sikhs will stay in Pakistan for eight days
and visit other major gurdwaras before returning on September
28. PTI