The 556th birth anniversary celebrations of the spiritual leader of the Sikh faith, Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji, concluded at Nankana Sahib. The central ceremony was held at Gurdwara Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib, under the administration of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony.

The 556th birth anniversary celebrations of the spiritual leader of the Sikh faith, Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji, concluded at Nankana Sahib. The central ceremony was held at Gurdwara Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib, under the administration of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony.
While addressing the ceremony, the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, said that all religions are worthy of respect and preach peace. “Religion is individual but humanity is shared,” he added. He stated that on the occasion of the birth anniversary, the ETPB team, in collaboration with provincial departments and other concerned institutions, made special arrangements to provide the best hospitality to the Sikh pilgrims. The Evacuee Trust Property Board, Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony spent millions of rupees to ensure comfortable and excellent facilities for the pilgrims.
He mentioned that during the recent floods, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur was damaged, but on the directives of Prime Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, it was restored within 24 hours.
Giani Kuldeep Singh Gurgaj, who arrived from India, said, “We are in love with the sacred soil of Pakistan. We are freely moving here without any restrictions. The Sikh community is grateful to the Government of Pakistan for the respect and honor given to us. This is the land of our Guru, and no praise is enough for the holy Gurdwaras here. Our message is one of peace and brotherhood. The people of both countries desire peace and unity.”
Jatha Leader of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Bibi Gurdinder Kaur, said that Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji advocated for women’s rights and dignity. “We are delighted to visit Pakistan. Special arrangements have been made for women, and we received great respect.”
Jatha Leader of Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee, Sardar Ravinder Singh Sehwata, said: “The doors of the Pakistan government were already open. Our request was accepted by the Indian government, and we were given the opportunity to visit the sacred land.”
President of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, expressed gratitude to the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Chairman ETPB Dr. Sajid Mehmood Chauhan, Additional Secretary Shrines Nasser Mushtaq, Chief Secretary, Health Minister, District Government Nankana, Police, and other departments for the excellent arrangements, including security. He said, “I believe that the Sikh community is the crown of Pakistan. The doors of Pakistan are always open for Sikhs. After returning from the pilgrimage, Sikh pilgrims will convey the message of love, peace, and respect they received here to the world.”
Additional Secretary Shrines ETPB, Nasser Mushtaq, congratulated the Sikh pilgrims and said that the Evacuee Trust Property Board is always at the forefront in serving Sikh pilgrims. “It is the honor of Pakistan that the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji took place here. The Government of Pakistan, through the Ministry of Religious Affairs, has sent a message of love not only to the Sikh community but to the entire world. During Vaisakhi, the Government of Pakistan issued four times more visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims than the agreed protocol, and not a single visa was rejected.”
The event was also addressed by Minister of State Khal Das Kohistani, Dr. Shezra Mansab, and other Sikh and political leaders. Chairman ETPB Dr. Sajid Mehmood Chauhan, Secretary ETPB Farid Iqbal, Deputy Secretary Faraz Abbas, Deputy Commissioner, DPO, Hindu leaders, various minority and political leaders, and Board officials attended the ceremony.
At the end of the ceremony, special gifts were distributed by Sikh leaders among the Federal Minister and other dignitaries.
The Sikh pilgrims from India visited Gurdwara Kiara Sahib, Gurdwara Balila Sahib, Gurdwara Patti Sahib, and Gurdwara Tambu Sahib in Nankana Sahib.
After the conclusion of the ceremony, a holy procession of Palki Sahib was taken from Gurdwara Janam Asthan to Gurdwara Kiara Sahib. The Sikh pilgrims will visit Sacha Sauda Farooqabad on November 6 and then proceed to Gurdwara Panja Sahib Hasan Abdal.