LAHORE        -         The three-day celebrations marking the 553rd birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak concluded at Gurudwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib on Tuesday. Addressing the ceremony, Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal extended felicitations to the Sikhs on the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak and said that Baba Guru Nanak’s teachings reflected tolerance, dignity of people, equal rights, interfaith harmony and help to the needy. Baba Guru Nanak had taught and propagated a society free of discrimination, he added. The minister expressed his commitment to provide best facilities to Sikh pilgrims coming from across the world and said the government would link Kartarpur with Nankana Sahib via motorway. He reiterated his commitment to provide the best facilities to Sikh yatrees, and said that a road network would be laid to create a link from Nankana Sahib to facilitate the Sikh pilgrims. Ahsan Iqbal also appreciated the district administration and police officers to put in place effective and comprehensive measures particularly security to protect the Sikh pilgrims and avoid any untoward incident. Thousand of Sikh pilgrims from Pakistan, India, Canada and European countries participated in the ceremony at Gurdwara Janam Asthan. They performed religious rites in Nankana Sahib amid tight security. Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Habibur Rehman Gilani reviewed the arrangements and briefed that work was in progress for establishment of a library and a museum in Nankana Sahib to protect the Sikh heritage, adding that ETPB provided the best facilities to the Sikh community to participate in Baba Guru Nanak’s birthday celebrations. He said that special attention had been paid to the maintenance and renovation of Gurdwaras of the Sikh community. Sikh delegation’s leader Pardhan Sardar Ameer Singh and Sardar Gopal Singh expressed gratitude to the Pakistan government and the district administration for the hospitality extended to the Sikh yatrees. Other Sikh leaders including Parmeet Singh, Diljeet Singh, Manjeet Singh, Partab Singh, Deputy Commissioner, DPO and other officials also attended the ceremony. The Sikh yatrees also visited more than 50 shopping stalls set up by the ETPB, whereas the Sikhs would leave for Gurdwara Punja Sahib, Hassanabdal.