Low key Baisakhi for Pak's Sikh community

Keeping it a low key affair this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan's Sikh community celebrated the annual spring festival of Baisakhi on Tuesday, while a simple ceremony took place at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Punjab province.

Islamabad, April 14 Keeping it a low key affair this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan's Sikh community celebrated the annual spring festival of Baisakhi on Tuesday, while a simple ceremony took place at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Punjab province.

This year, pilgrims from India and other parts of the world were unable to participate in the celebrations at the shrine as Pakistan was under a lockdown imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19. The Express Tribune reported.

Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee of Pakistan (SGPCP) President Sardar Satwant Singh and Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Aamer Ahmed greeted the community in the country and around the world on the occasion.

Satwant Singh told The Express Tribune that 3,000 pilgrims come from India, Canada, UK, Australia, the US and other parts of the world to attend the Baisakhi festival and Khalsa anniversary.

"We also invited them this year, but due to coronavirus lockdown, they could not attend."

Hundreds of pilgrims from India also wanted to participate in the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur on the occasion but that event has also been cancelled.

Sikh leader Sardar Bushan Singh said that he had finalised the arrangements of food, security and accommodation for thousands of pilgrims that were due to arrive from India and other countries but all preparations have been cancelled due to the current situation.

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( With inputs from IANS )