Sikh jatha from India crosses over to Pakistan for Gurpurab celebrations

Gurpurab celebrations: A jatha of Sikh pilgrims from India crossed over to Pakistan on Wednesday to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib through the Kartarpur Corridor that has reopened after remaining shut for nearly one-and-a-half year amid the Covid-19 outbreak. "Indian Sikh pilgrims warmly welcomed by Pakistan on their arrival through Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, today," Pakistan High Commission in India tweeted. Also Read | Shut amid Covid-19 outbreak, Kartarpur Corridor reopens to pilgrims The Pakistan High Commission said Pakistan was looking forward to hosting devotees from India for the Gurpurab celebrations (Parkash Utsav of Guru Nanak Dev). Earlier, a jatha of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) departed for Pakistan to pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib and other Sikh religious shrines through the Kartarpur Corridor. "We are going on a nine-day trip. We will be visiting Kartarpur Sahib, Nankana Sahib, Dera Sacha Sauda, Dera Sahib," said Gruvinder Singh, a pilgrim. Also read | Lakhimpur Kheri violence: Punjab and Haryana HC ex-judge to monitor probe "We are very happy. We are very grateful to the government for opening the corridor," said another pilgrim. The Kartarpur Corridor was shut amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The visa-free 4.7-km corridor joins the Indian border to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. It became operational in 2019. -PTC News