LAHORE: Around 2,200 Sikh pilgrims are expected to arrive from India on April 11 to participate in the Baisakhi festival.

Under an agreement, Pakistan can issue visas to 3,000 pilgrims for the festival. So far, the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi has received over 2,100 visa applications, according to official sources in the Evacuee Trust Property Board (E TPB).

`This year, we are expecting over 2,200 pilgrims. We will receive them at the Wagah railway station. Later, we will take them to Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasanabdal through special trains,` an E TPB official told Dawnon Tuesday.

He said the pilgrims would stay at Hasanabdal till April 14.

`On April 14, the festival`s main ceremony will be held at Panja Sahib. The pilgrims will then go to Nankana Sahib on April 15 by train to participate in activities at the temple of Baba Guru Nanak,` the official added.

On April 16, he said, the pilgrims would depart for Sacha Soda in Faroogabad and return to Lahore the next day to visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib. The same day, they would visit Gurdwaras Rohri Sahib and Darbar Sahib in Gujranwala and Narowal, respectively. They would return to Lahore on April 18 and stay at Dera Sahib.

`On April 20, the pilgrims will return home through specialtrains,` the official added.

The official said the ETPB had completed all administrative, logistic, boarding and security arrangements to facilitate the pilgrims.

IMFF: Commissioner Abdullah Khan Sumbal said the scope of International Mountain Film Festival (IMFF) is being shaped out these days.

`Besides being a festival, it will be a gateway for the promotion of culture and tourism and portray a soft and peaceful image of Pakistan,` he said while presiding over a meeting here on Tuesday.

He said delegates from 23 countries comprising national climbers, filmmakers, mountaineers and travel writers would participate in the festival.

SCHEMES: The city administra-tion on Tuesday reviewed pace of work on 15 development schemes and sought their completion on time.

In a meeting presided over by the district coordination ofHcer (DCO), the participants reviewed widening of Mal Adda Road, Pajian drain bridge. The DCO directed officials to maintain liaison with the departments concerned.

Meanwhile, teams of the City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) got arrested eight people, including two grooms, for violating the Marriage Act.

Price control magistrates got arrested 59 shopkeepers for overcharging in various markets.

POLIO: The CDGL will hold another round of a three-day polio drive from April13 in 150 union councils of Lahore, a spokesman said.