LONDON: A delegation of Sikhs representatives from different organisations and Gurdwaras across the UK met a senior Pakistani diplomat and handed him over a letter to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In their letter the Sikh community offered their assistance in organising events linked to the forthcoming 550th birth anniversary of the founder of their faith.
They said recent events and tensions in South Asia were a matter of concern, said a press statement issued by Joga Singh on behalf of the Sikh delegation after the huddle.
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in 1469 in the place now named after him, Nankana Sahib in Punjab, Pakistan. Sikhs around the world will mark the event in November this year in a big way.
Nankana Sahib will be the focus of this significant milestone in Sikh history. Thousands of Sikhs from across the globe will be attending the celebrations there and at other historic Sikh shrines and heritage sites in Pakistan.
The delegation was warmly received by Pakistan’s High Commissioner in the UK Mohammad Nafees Zakaria at the High Commission in London, to whom they handed over the letter.
Pakistani High Commissioner assured them his government would continue take all possible steps enthusiastically commemorate the Guru’s birth in a special manner this year. He said Pakistan has already taken the lead in inaugurating the highly acclaimed Kartarpur Sahib corridor project.
The Sikh delegation offered expertise and a coordination in a range of logistical matters, such as the provision of adequate accommodation for visiting devotees.
High Commissioner sought their recommendations on issues related to operation of the religious pilgrimage visa system which will be key to facilitate the entry of large numbers of Sikhs from abroad.
In their letter to Prime Minister Khan, Sikh community expressed appreciation for his Kartarpur corridor initiative. They requested more investment in renovation work on Sikh shrines in Pakistan. They also asked the Pakistani government enhanced facilities at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hasan Abdal.
The delegation briefed the High Commissioner of the Sikh nation’s desire to broaden and deepen its links with its vast heritage in Pakistan. It is a sentiment so powerful that it features in their daily prayers, they added.
