Daily Times

As many as 89 Hindu pilgrims arrived here on Tuesday through the Wagah border on a six-day visit to participate in Shivratri (night of Shiva) celebrations at the Katas Raj temple in Punjab. The pilgrims, led by Sanjay Mehlawat, were received by Secretary Shrines Evacuee Trust property Board (ETPB) Rana Shahid on behalf of Chairman ETPB Habibur Rehman Geelani. Talking to the media, the secretary said the pilgrims would spend a day in Lahore and then will leave for Katas Raj temple where main celebrations would be held on Thursday. The pilgrims would return to India on December 25. “I welcome the pilgrims coming to Pakistan not only from India but from all over the world on behalf of the Pakistani government”, he remarked. Speaking on this occasion, Sanjay Mehlawat, the head of the delegation, said: “I had come to Pakistan last year and received a lot of love from Pakistanis. Today, I have received the warmest reception”. He added that: ” We will spend three days in Chakwal and then return on the 25th of December”. Members of the delegation expressed their great happiness and pleasure after reaching Pakistan and said it was their first visit to Pakistan and they received great respect, honour and love on their arrival.