Gurdwara regains glory after encroachments removal
After decades of resistance from traders' organisations in the city's eight bazaars, the Metropolitan Corporation of Faisalabad has successfully cleared all encroachments around the historic Sikh Gurdwara located in Katchery Bazaar, restoring the site's long-lost heritage and beauty.
The Gurdwara currently houses the Pakistan Model High School, established after the Partition of the subcontinent.
During the anti-encroachment operation, Metropolitan Corporation Chief Officer Murtaza Malik said the Gurdwara had faced serious threats from illegal constructions and unregulated commercial activities for years.
He noted that the ancient structure, once a vibrant symbol of Sikh heritage, had fallen into disrepair, with damaged doors, windows, and walls due to encroachments and neglect.
Despite resistance from local traders - some of whom presented stay orders and attempted to block the operation - the municipal team continued the drive uninterrupted, removing illegal structures, concrete sheds, and roadside stalls.
Mian Bashir Ijaz, in charge of the Heritage Section at Iqbal Library, said the Gurdwara had been a landmark of Faisalabad's diverse cultural identity. He added that the Punjab government had earlier promised to partially convert it into a heritage museum, but the surrounding illegal shops and workshops had overshadowed its architectural value.
The encroachments had also disrupted school activities and pedestrian movement in the area.
Commissioner Faisalabad Raja Jahangir had recently pledged to remove all illegal structures around the Clock Tower and Pakistan Model High School, reaffirming the city's commitment to preserving historical landmarks.
Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora lauded the Metropolitan Corporation's action, calling it "a significant step toward promoting interfaith harmony and cultural preservation."
He assured that the provincial government was fully committed to protecting minority worship places and had allocated substantial funds for the restoration of historic sites across Punjab.