2,200 Sikh yatrees arrive

LAHORE: More than 2,200 Sikh yatrees on Tuesday arrived here through Wagah Border to celebrate Baisakhi festival.

Additional Secretary Shrines Rana Shahid, Deputy Secretary Shrines Imran Gondal, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Pardhan Sardar Ameer Singh, other Sikh leaders and ETPB board officials received them.

On the occasion, Additional Secretary Shrines Rana Shahid said that under the directions of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Dr Amir Ahmad, all arrangements, including security and accommodation had been ensured to facilitate them. Arrangements for filtered cold water, clean washrooms, proper train announcements, comfortable sitting arrangements, besides others were made available for them, he added.

He said that the main ceremony would be held at Gurdwara Punja Sahib at Hassan Abdal on April 14 while the yatrees would return to India on April 21. Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Pardhan Sardar Ameer Singh said that special trains would operate to facilitate Sikh pilgrims coming from India for their religious rituals.

Sikh leader Ravinder Singh said that they had come to Pakistan with the message of love, peace, friendship and harmony. He also expressed gratitude to the government of Pakistan and people for their love for granting them visas. According to PRO IG Pakistan Railways, due to security concerns, the Sikh yatrees were not allowed to alight trains. However, food and other useful material were provided to them on their seats by railways administration and police.

Online QR system introduced in ETPB: As per the instructions of Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Dr Aamir Ahmed, online QR system has been introduced in the board office to secure government documents and records.

This technology will enable all documents to be saved online and forged documents will be identified. The relevant branch would have access with the help of login account in the online QR system. The QR code will be compiled in a specific way. It can be scanned and the relevant record can be viewed and verified at any time if required.