Sikh Jatha from India to visit Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan

New Delhi: A Sikh Jatha from India will visit Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan from November 27 on the occasion of the 551st birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji.

MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters here on Thursday, “It has been decided that a Sikh Jatha from India will visit Janam Asthan Gurdwara Nankana Sahib from November 27 to December 1, 2020 on the occasion of the 551st birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. This visit will be as per the 1974 bilateral Protocol on visit to Religious Shrines between India and Pakistan”.

He further said: “In view of the Covid pandemic, all health related Protocol will be strictly followed, and the size of the Jatha is, therefore, likely to be reduced”.

This move and related issues have been “discussed” in consultation with the concerned authorities in the Ministry of Home Affairs, he said.

Gurdwara Janam Asthan also referred to as Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, is a highly revered Gurdwara that was built at the site where the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, was born. The shrine is located in the city of Nankana Sahib, near Lahore in Pakistan.

On the issue of cross border terrorism perpetrated by Pakistan, MEA spokesman said: “India has strongly protested Pakistan’s continued support to cross border terrorist infiltration into India.

Pakistan was once again reminded of its bilateral commitment to not allow any territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India in any manner”.

He said, “despite repeated calls” for restraint and adherence to the ceasefire understanding of 2003 for maintaining peace and tranquility, Pakistani forces continue to engage in providing supporting cover fire to infiltrators.

“The incessant infiltration of terrorists and induction of weapons to fuel terror activities continues unabated. Such activities are not possible without the support of Pakistani forces deployed along the LoC,” he said.

Srivastava further said, the Charge d’Affaires of the High Commission of Pakistan was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs on November 14 and a “strong protest” was lodged over unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces, on multiple sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on November 13.

The misadventure had resulted in the death of four innocent civilians and serious injuries to 19 others. The remarks from MEA spokesman came on a day four terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces near Ban Toll Plaza along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Nagrota.

The terrorists had infiltrated on Wednesday evening and they were on the way to Kashmir region along with large quantities of arms and ammunition to disrupt the coming District Development Council polls and panchayat by-elections.

DGP Jammu & Kashmir Police, Dilbagh Singh, said, “Terrorists affiliated with JeM group have been killed at Ban toll plaza in Jammu -Kashmir Highway near Nagrota. They infiltrated from Samba Sector”.