ISLAMABAD: Thousands of Sikh pilgrims from around the world have started arriving in Pakistan to participate in the annual Vaisakhi Mela, which officially begins today and will continue until 19 April.
This year’s event is expected to draw over 30,000 participants, including more than 7,000 international pilgrims including those from India, 3,000 members of the Sikh diaspora, and 20,000 local Sikh devotees.
The Punjab Home Department has implemented extensive security arrangements to ensure the safety of thousands of Sikh pilgrims arriving from across the globe to celebrate the Vaisakhi Festival.
Pilgrims from India have begun entering Pakistan via the Wagah Border to participate in the festivities.
Secretary of the Evacuee Trust Property Board, Farid Iqbal, warmly welcomed the arriving pilgrims at the Wagah Check Post.
Prominent Sikh leaders Ravinder Singh Khalsa, heading the delegation from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, and Diljeet Singh Sarna from the Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee led the pilgrim groups arriving in Pakistan.
Speaking to the media, Punjab Minister Ramesh Singh Arora said Pakistan has witnessed a 72% increase in religious tourism this year.
Under a special arrangement, the Government of Pakistan issued 6,751 visas for Sikh pilgrims—exceeding the original quota by 3,751—following a request from the Federal Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).
The move was widely appreciated by Sikh leaders, with Ravinder Singh remarking, “By granting such a large number of visas, the Pakistani government has truly won the hearts of the Sikh community.”
Diljeet Singh Sarna expressed his appreciation, saying, “Pakistan is a peaceful country. Sikhs from around the world wish to visit the sacred Gurdwaras here. We are always met with great respect and warm hospitality in Pakistan.”
Pilgrims have arrived from more than 11 Indian states, including Amritsar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. Due to a large number of visitors, the pilgrims have been divided into two groups: one group is travelling to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal, while the other is heading to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.
Both groups will reunite on April 12 in Nankana Sahib, where the main Vaisakhi Mela ceremony will take place on April 14 at Gurdwara Janam Asthan, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
They will also visit Gurdwara Sacha Sauda (Farooqabad), Gurdwara Rohri Sahib (Eminabad) and Gurdwara Dera Sahib (Lahore). The pilgrims are expected to conclude their visit and return to India on April 19 via Wagah.
