Yatri at Gurdwara Punja Sahib cut short
Sikh pilgrims visit to Hassanabdal cut short
- By Dawn News Correspondent, www.dawn.com [1]
- Tuesday, 23 Feb, 2010
Saka Nankana Sahib Anniversary
TAXILA, Feb 22: In the wake of law and order situation and killing of an abducted Sikh allegedly by Taliban in Khyber Agency, the authorities have cut short the visit of the Indian Sikh pilgrims from three days to one day who arrived here at Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassanabdal to offer religious their rituals.
Earlier their stay was planned for three days from February 21 to 23 to participate in “Saka Nankana Sahib Anniversary” which is being observed for the second time after the partition of the sub-continent. Earlier they visited Pakistan previous year.
A high level security official on condition of anonymity told Dawn that due to the killing of a Sikh named Jaspal Singh and an accidental firing by a police guard outside Gurdwara Punja Sahib on Sunday, the authorities cut short their visit to one day.
An official of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) when contacted, said the reasons behind the decision were not known, but he pointed out that security agencies had expressed apprehension of security threat to Sikh pilgrims.
