Thousands of Sikh Pilgrims Gather in Hasan Abdal for Global Vaisakhi Celebrations

327th World Vaisakhi Mela Celebrated with Devotion at Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib

Lahore (April 14, 2026) Ali Imran Chattha 

The main ceremony of the 327th World Vaisakhi Mela was held with traditional fervor at Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib, where Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yusuf graced the event as the Chief Guest, alongside Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs and Pardhan of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), Ramesh Singh Arora. The ceremony was attended by Chairman ETPB Qamar-uz-Zaman, Secretary Usman Ali Khan, and thousands of Sikh pilgrims, including over 2,200 from India.

Addressing the gathering, Provincial Minister Ramesh Singh Arora welcomed the pilgrims with “Ji Aayan Nu,” emphasizing that Pakistan is the “First Home” for Sikhs as the religion originated from this sacred land. He expressed deep gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for ensuring “royal hospitality” and top-tier arrangements for the visitors, noting that despite strained regional relations, Pakistan’s decision to issue thousands of visas is a testament to its commitment to peace.
He urged the Indian government to fully open the Kartarpur Corridor to sustain this journey of love and harmony, while highlighting that more than 50 abandoned Gurdwaras across Punjab are being restored and reopened for worship. He asserted that minorities in Pakistan enjoy complete religious freedom and that every grain of this soil holds Sikh history.

The pilgrims expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Pakistani leadership for the exemplary arrangements supervised by Additional Secretary Shrines Nasir Mushtaq, while the Minister also lauded the media for its role in projecting Pakistan's soft image globally.