Local residents resent Gurdwara’s extension

ETPB’s promise to build public kitchen for Sikh devotees stirs controversy

PESHAWAR: The Evacuee Trust Property Board’s promise to build a public kitchen (Langar Khana) to cater to Sikh devotees visiting the Gurdwara Bahi Biba Sing has created a controversy.

The board had earlier promised the Sikh community to extend the gurdwara by demolishing an old Hindu temple in its vicinity: This resulted in friction between members of the Sikh community and local residents.

People living nearby contend that the minority already had ample space for worship. They insisted that the government, instead of handing over the temple to the Sikh community, should build a dispensary for a vocational center for women in the area.

“Before the Gurdwara was reopened, the Sikh community signed an agreement that they will not try to occupy more space in the area. They also agreed to build a wall on the roof of the Gurdwara to preserve the right to privacy of people living nearby … However, the Sikh community did not keep their promise,” said Mohammad Ibrahim, a resident of the Chika Gali.



He said that the board, instead of building the Langar hall for the few people of the Sikh community and instead allocate the space for building a vocational centre for women. Before this building was handed over to the Sikh community, it was used as a vocational center.

Zuhair Gul, another resident told The Express Tribune that the government had given them two-kanal land within the Gurdwara. “We believe that the Sikh community does not need more space … The government must immediately stop the bulldozing of the old temple.”

Nasir, still living inside the Gurdwara premises, accused the Sikh community of threatening him with eviction.

According to him, the Sikh community had offered him a bribe of nearly half a million rupees but he had refused.

Elders of the Sikh community said that the Evacuee Trust Property Board had allowed them to demolish the old temple.

Sahib Singh, a member of the Sikh community, maintained that the temple in question was part of the Gurdwara because of the presence of the ‘Samadhi’ of Baba Guru Bakhsh, where he meditated.



He said that the chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board Siddiqul Farooq visited the Gurdwara on Sikh Sangat’s request and approved the construction of Langar hall by issuing a letter.

A copy of this letter was obtained by this correspondent.

However, the administrator of the board’s Peshawar chapter, Asif Khan, said that Chairman Siddiqul Farooq had visited several religious sites in the city last month.

According to him, members of the Sikh community had requested to expand the Gurdwara to build a Langar hall and Farooq had made a ‘verbal commitment’, but has not yet sent any approval letter for demolishing the temple.

Asif maintained that the friction between the Sikh community and the local residents had nothing to do with the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

“The temple will be handed over to the Sikh community after the board gives the approval in writing.”