Sikh Pilgrims performing religious duties at Gurdwara Panja Sahib on the occasion of Baba Guru Nanak Dev’s 543rd birth anniversary. PHOTO: INP
Arif Chaudhry, President of Pak-Indo friendship association and legal consulate ministry of interior on Friday hinted that the government may declare "Panja Sahib" as a holy city, Press Trust of India reported.
This decision was made known during Chaudhry's meeting with the Indian Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal in Chandrigarh.
He said the government is looking to resolve the issues faced by Sikhs who live at the pilgrimage site, Press Trust of India reported.
Panja Sahib is believed to contain a rock with the hand prints of the founder of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak. It is considered to be a holy pilgrimage site for Sikhs all over the world.
During his visit, Chaudhry also extended an invitation to Badal to attend a function arranged by the association marking the occasion in Pakistan, the timings of which would be confirmed in accordance with his availability.
Badal accepted the invitation and stated that he has always upheld the cause of strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries and has been a strong proponent of opening the Fazilka and Hussainiwal border.
He hoped the newly elected government in Pakistan would help improve ties between the countries so that cultural exchange avenues could be explored between the two.
Officials from Pakistan said the forum would endeavour to resolve all issues faced by the Sikhs living in Panja Sahib.
COMMENTS (19)
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Please declare Katas raj temple too as a Holy and protected area. handover the temple to Hindus as it is their most sacred place.
@Riaz Ahmad
Excellent posts. Regards.
@Yasser: They are guests in our country and they should be treated as such to make them feel honoured and feel the welcome. Don't forget they are the same blood as those of us in Punjab, we have special duty towards them. Let us learn from the atrocities of history to make the world a better and peaceful place.
@Ghori: It is a pity, you were not born in the 12th century.
Why now. It is a very holy place for the followers of Sikh religion, Pakistan government in general and Panjab government in particular should have declared it a holy city decades ago. Hindu Buddist and other places of worship should be accorded the same status, it is part and parcel of international law and human decency and dignity.
The Punja Sahib is approximately 3 kms away from my home and its like a national heritage to all of us. The good thing is that during the visit of Sikh yatris, they are provided 24/7 electricity supply during their stay unlike other neighbouring areas where the electric load shedding goes about 12-14 hours a day.
@Optimist
I can understand your frustration with some Indians. Even I don't like them for their spiteful comments. You mentioned 1984 massacre. As reprehensible as It was, it was one-off in 66 years. A point often missed by people is that it was a communal violence and not a religious violence like 1947. Sikhs, though a small minority in a country of 1.2 billion people, they are highly respected by all Indians. Though our Sikh PM is more visible in media, Indian army is full of highly ranked Sikh officers including generals and army chiefs. In the sub continent, places of worship for hindus, sikhs, buddhists, jains have been plundered for centuries. The temple of somnath alone was plundered 17, yes 17 times. If Pakistan today takes steps as mentioned in this article, credit must be given to the people of Pakistan. But it seems too little too late. The minority population of hindus/sikhs has reduced at an alarming rate.
Very good step and it's also in line with Islamic traditions.
@Ghori: The signs of the greatness of the people of a belief is how they treat the weak, the poor, the women and the most important the sum-of-all; the minorities. If Pakistan was made in the name of Islam then based on Islamic history such land should be a sanctuary for the above catagories not a hunting ground for them. As a Muslim I would encourage their protection & equal rights like all other Muslims living there. Confusion among different sects of Islam about their own role in the Muslim community should not become a reason to blame or target non-Muslims or any other people of the world.
Punja Sahib is not a city. Its a holy site located in the town of Hasanabdal
@pakistan: Please read these http://iosminaret.org/vol-5/issue4/SikhsRebuildMosques.php ,http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2012/08/27/muslims-offered-eid-payers-in-sikh-gurudwara/ . There are moderates in this world .
good move
I think some Indian friends cannot digest any good news coming from Pakistan. At least they should show their real names. . Sikhs show a lot of respect to us Pakistanis all over the world. . They haven't forgotten their massacre in 1984 by INDIAN STATE (as compared to communal riots of 1947 where misguided people on both sides killed each other)
Excellent, Pakistan needs to get back the self respect and self esteem of progressive muslim nation confident of its identity and open for all people - sikhism developed from the nation what is now Pakistan and sikhs should be encouraged to visit the birth place of their religion.
Sikhs will still show little to no respect
@ghori - with this mentality, this country can never succeed, i am a pakistani living abroad and can tell you from my own experience, countries can only prosper these days economically and security wise through religious and cultural harmony and brotherhood and respect... this is a globalization era world, and those that limit themselves according to religious beliefs will be left alone - and when you are left alone, you cannot do trade with countries, and economy is stability these days - change this mentality, Pakistan was made in the name of Islam ( moderate islam) - learn about the history of the Quaid and Iqbal and Liaqat Ali Khan- look into their personal lives and countless examples of inter faith harmony and relationships and read the address of the Quaid with regards to minorities after Independence... This mullah mentality that you have is a very recent phenomenon that is taking over the country thanks to the evil policies of Zia ul haq- before that dictator's rule, ppl like you were in minority and ppl following the vision of Quaid and peace and moderate islam were in majority- Think into this please !
@Ghori: I hope you were being sarcastic. Wouldn't be surprised if you were an Indian trying to stroke flame where there was none!
These kind of "liberal" gestures have become fashion. We made Pakistan and became the sole Islamic nuclear power to protect and glorify Islam, not to promote Kufr in this way. Our only hope is that Chaudhry saab was simply being polite, however misguidedly, to a guest, and can be made to learn a lesson on what Pakistan really means.