Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur | Photo credit: ANI
Key points
- PSGPC was planning to organize the first anniversary of the inauguration of Kartarpur Gurudwara on November 9
- Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa demanded the restoration of the right of sewa to the PSGPC
- BJP leader Tarun Chug also questioned the secularism of the Imran Khan government.
Islamabad: The government of Pakistan led by Imran Khan has officially assumed full control of Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, in the Narowal district of Punjab province. It is the first time that the Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee of Pakistan has lost the management rights of the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
The move comes just before Pakistan’s Sikh Gurudwara Prabhandhak Committee (PSGPC) plans to organize the first anniversary of the opening of Kartarpur Gurudwara on November 9.
The Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs has taken over PSGPC and handed it over to the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). The ETPB manages Hindu and Sikh religious properties and shrines in Pakistan.
According to an official order of November 3: “Consistent with the approval of the Kartarpur Corridor Project Management Unit (PMU) by the Cabinet ECC, and ratified by the Cabinet (transmitted by MoRA … dated 10.23.2020) , the competent authority has been pleased to establish the Project Management Unit (PMU), a self-funded body, for the Management and Maintenance of Gurdwara Dardar Sahib Kartarpur (GADSK) under the administrative control of ETPB. “
“All officers / officers … are relieved of their duties with immediate effect with instructions to rejoin their new duty station immediately.”
On behalf of the global Sikh community, Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa strongly condemned the move. He demanded to restore the right to sewa to PSGPC.
The leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Tarun Chug, also questioned the secularism of the Imran Khan government. He said the move has hurt the feelings of Sikhs and Hindus around the world.
Former Punjab Minister Daljeet Cheema also demanded the restoration of the right to sewa He returned to PSGPC and said: “This is a great injustice committed to the Sikh community, we hope that the government of Pakistan will revoke this order.”
