NCOC allows Indian Sikh pilgrims to attend Baba Guru Nanak's death anniversary in Kartarpur

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has allowed Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Pakistan in connection with the three-day rituals of Baba Guru Nanak’s 482nd death anniversary starting from next month, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The decision was taken in the NCOC meeting held in Islamabad with Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar in the chair.

According to a statement issued by the forum, only fully vaccinated Sikh pilgrims would be allowed to attend the three-day rituals of Baba Guru Nanak’s 482nd death anniversary, starting from September 22.

The Forum was briefed that during the outbreak of the pandemic, India remained on the list of Category C countries from May 22 to 12 August 2021, where the necessary movement was allowed through special permission, including Sikh pilgrims.

Moreover, the Sikhs Yatrees have to show a negative RT-PCR certificate not older than 72 hours for Pakistan travel.

“No one will be allowed to come to Pakistan in case of rapid antigen test (RAT) positive results,” it said.

The Forum underscored that as per the enforced non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) a maximum of 300 persons would be allowed to participate in outdoor activities.

Three-day rituals of the 482nd death anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji — the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus – will start at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur from September 20 to 22.

Sikh devotees from Lahore, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Nankana Sahib, among other Pakistani cities also congregate at the gurdwara.