April 15, 2006	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 16, 1427

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HASSANABDAL, April 14: The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has allocated Rs1 billion for provision of better boarding and lodging facilities to Sikh yatrees.

This was stated by Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Lt-Gen (retd) Zulfiqar Ali Khan while talking to local reporters at Gurdwara Punja Sahib here on Friday.

He said that the government attached great importance to the welfare of pilgrims during their visit to religious places in Pakistan. The board with the involvement of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees was also making efforts to provide the best possible facilities to the Sikh pilgrims.

He said that two hotels would be built, one each at Nankana Sahib Lahore, and Panja Sahib Hassanabdal to provide better accommodation facilities to the Sikh pilgrims. The construction work would initiated during current fiscal year.

The chairman said existing lodging and boarding facilities at all gurdwaras were being improved at a cost of Rs150 million.

Besides, various other projects are being carried out for the development and preservation of religious and historical places of minorities.

Besakhi festival ends: Thousands of yatrees (pilgrims) left for Nankana Sahib, Lahore after participating in the traditional Besakhi festival that ended at Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassanabdal on Friday.

The festival ended with the ‘Bhog’ ceremony which was attended by over 10,000 Sikh and Hindu yatrees from all over the world, including India, Europe, Canada, Afghanistan and UAE.

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