Kartarpur: Sikh pilgrims turn up in large numbers, install golden palanquin

A large number of Sikhs from India have visited the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan and installed a golden palanquin at the shrine.

Most of the 1,100 Sikhs, who are in Pakistan to attend the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak in Nankana Sahib, visited the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, also known as Kartarpur Sahib, along with Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar and installed the golden palanquin they had brought in with them.

The governor said that the Kartarpur Corridor, which has been completed within the stipulated time, will help bring both the countries closer.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan government has decided to make it mandatory for the tour operators to have a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the interior ministry to take foreign Sikhs, other than Indians, to the holy site specially the Kartarpur Sahib.

"The Sikhs coming from the US, Canada and the European countries have been issued visit visa for Lahore. There are security problems with regard to their uncoordinated visits to the holy places. That's why the tour operators have been asked to take an NoC from the interior ministry," an official said.

Sikh pilgrims have started coming at the Nankana Sahib from India and other countries in connection with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.