Sikh community bars Indian high commissioner, wife from entering Gurduwara

Sikhs from all over the world are enraged over Indian SC's verdict allowing screening of 'Nanak Shah Fakir'

LAHORE: The Sikh community on Saturday barred Indian High Commissioner and his wife from entering the Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasabdal following an Indian supreme court verdict over Khalistan movement and a controversial movie on Guru Nanak Devji.



Confirming the incident, Pakistan's Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) authorities said Indian High Commissioner Ajay Basariya and his wife wanted to prostrate at the Gurdwara and meet the visiting Sikh pilgrims.

However, upon his arrival, the Sikh pilgrims visiting Pakistan planned a protest. Sikhs from all over the world are enraged over the Indian SC's verdict to allow screening of Nanak Shah Fakir across the country on Baisakhi.

The ETPB authorities feared verbal altercation from aggrieved Sikhs and requested the commissioner not to attend the ceremony.

PHOTO: ASIF MEHMOOD

Earlier, Sikh pilgrims stopped Indian ambassadors from entering various Gurdwaras. The Sikhs imposed a ban on all the Gurdwaras including that of Britain and other countries in this regard.

In April, the Sikh community participating in the Besakhi Mela and Khalsa’s birthday refused to meet the Indian ambassadors in Pakistan.

Staff of the Indian High Commission have also been prevented from entering Nankana Saheb. The measure has been taken to protest against a Bollywood film misrepresenting the biographical accounts of Guru Nanak.

In an exclusive interview with Express News, a leader of the recently arrived Sikh delegation, Sardar Gurmit Singh, said the controversial film had hurt the sentiments of the entire community for which the protest was organised. “The Bandhak community has also joined the protest at Shromni Gurdwara,” he said, revealing that the producer of the controversial film has been declared an infidel.

Singh also slammed India for running a defamation campaign against Pakistan.



He said the negative propaganda from across the border had spread fear among Sikhs visiting the country. “I personally contacted my Sikh brothers to clarify the situation,” Singh remarked.

He maintained that the Indian media has been trying hard to malign the image of Pakistan by misrepresenting our protest. “The file footage shown by Indian media portrays us as unsafe in Pakistan which is contrary to the facts,” he said.