Sikhs arrive for Baba Nanak's birth anniversary.

LAHORE -- Over 2,600 Sikh pilgrims arrived in Lahore on Sunday from India via Wagah-Attari border on a 10-day visit to attend 553rd birth anniversary celebrations of Baba Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of their religion.

Led by the Jatha leaders, including Pareet Singh, Manjeet Singh and Jagjeet Singh, the pilgrims entered Pakistan on foot where they were received by the officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

The officials shifted them to the Wagah Railway Station through special buses and served them with food. The visitors left for Nankana Sahib by three special trains under tight security provided by the Pakistan Railways, police and other law enforcement agencies.

'Whenever we come here to the land of our Guru, we always receive unprecedented love from the government of Pakistan in particular and the public at large in general. We cannot explain our sentiments in words,' said Diljeet Singh while speaking to the media at the Wagah border.

Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Sardar Ameer Singh said the ETPB board, in consultation with the PSGPC, had completed all arrangements to facilitate the Sikh Yatris from India and Pakistan.

'The main ceremony of Baba Guru Nanak's birth anniversary would be held at Janam Asthan (Nankana) Sahib,' he added.

Earlier, ETPB Additional Secretary (Shrines) Rana Shahid told the media that Janam Asthan had been decorated for the event. Moreover, special security arrangements had been made to facilitate the pilgrims.

According to an official source, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued visas to 2,942 pilgrims of the total 3,000 applicants. 'But I cannot tell you the exact number of the pilgrims who entered Pakistan,' he...