Islamabad, Oct 13 (IANS): The Pakistan Railways (PR) will on Sunday operate a special train from Nankana Sahib railway station to Karachi to facilitate members of the Sikh community on the 550th birth anniversary Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism.

The train will leave Nankana Sahib at 10 a.m. for Karachi via Shorkot Cantt, Khanewal, Rohri, Nawab Shah, Shehdadpur, Hyderabad and Karachi Cantt and reach the city at 11.50 a.m. the next day, The News International reported.

The PR has designed the train especially for the Sikh community on the special event and a special central hall has been made by laying carpets in the lower A/C coach by removing seats.

Whereas, one part of the coach has been dedicated to Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs.

The train has been adorned with the pictures of Guru Nanak's birth place of Nankana Sahib and his resting place, the Darbar Sahib Kartarpur as well as other religious images.

It was also reported on Saturday that Pakistan will issue 10,000 visas to Sikh pilgrims as part of the birth anniversary celebrations.

The first batch of devotees will leave for Pakistan in the first week of November by a special train. The pilgrims will proceed to the Wagah railway station from the Atari railway station and then start their journey to the Nankana Sahib.

Sikhs will continue to visit Pakistan till November 8.