Pakistan to allow fully vaccinated Sikh pilgrims to visit Sri Kartarpur Sahib
Pakistan has decided to allow fully vaccinated Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, from next month with strict Covid-19 protocols, ahead of the 482nd death anniversary of Sikhism founder Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji on September 22.
On this occasion, three-day rituals will be held at the shrine from September 20. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji died in Kartarpur on September 22, 1539.
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The pilgrimage to Sri Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in Pakistan was suspended in March 2020 in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The decision to open the Kartarpur shrine was taken by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Saturday due to the approaching death anniversary of Sikhism founder Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji on September 22.
As per the report, the NCOC meeting unanimously decided to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur next month under strict Covid-19 protocols.
Due to the Delta variant, India was in category C in Pakistan from May 22 till August 12, and a special approval was required for people coming from the country, including Sikh pilgrims.
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However, fully vaccinated persons with certificates will be allowed to enter Pakistan provided they show Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test reports which should not be more than 72 hours old.
Apart from this, a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) will also be conducted at airports, and in case of a positive result, the individual will not be allowed to enter Pakistan.
Besides, as per Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs), a maximum of 300 people will be permitted to assemble at a time at the darbar.
According to an official of the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS), Pakistan had introduced three categories to deal with the Covid-19 spread.
-PTC News
