Hundreds of Indian Sikhs, who were visiting Pakistan for the 407th martyrdom day of Guru Arjun Dev Jee at the Gurdwara Dera Sahib on Sunday, would return to India on a special train on Monday (today).
The arrangements for Sunday rituals were supervised by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Chaudhry Riaz Ahmad.
ETPB Secretary Khalid Ali and Sardar Sham Singh, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president, were also present.
The ETPB chairman said that non-Muslims in Pakistan enjoyed complete religious freedom. He said renovation of gurdwaras was being handled carefully.
He said the ETPB had tried to make the best security and accommodation arrangements for the pilgrims.
The chairman later presented a Rs500,000 cheque to the family of Mahindar Singh, who was killed in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
The pilgrims thanked the government and the ETPB for the arrangements.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 17th, 2013.