Islamabad, February 25 – As the population of Sikhs and Hindus in Pakistan continues to decline, a report released on Wednesday highlighted that land belonging to several religious sites of minority communities has been sold, with other properties allegedly being forcibly occupied by local individuals across the country.
According to a report in 'Khalsa Vox', another case recently came to light in which a historic gurdwara in Abbottabad, in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was allegedly sold by the Evacuee Trust Property Board for 10 million Pakistani rupees. The Evacuee Trust Property Board is the body responsible for maintaining gurdwaras, temples, and other places of worship belonging to minority communities in the country.
"At the time of the 1947 Partition, many religious sites of the Sikh community and Hindu temples remained in Pakistan. To oversee their maintenance, the government established the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). However, it is now being observed that most gurdwaras and temples are either in a dilapidated condition or have been completely demolished, allegedly to prevent the Sikh and Hindu communities from claiming their rights over them," the report mentioned.
Citing media reports, it said that the ETPB administrator based in the Attock district of Punjab province, allegedly transferred possession of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Abbottabad – constructed during the Sikh rule – to a local resident named Waheed Bala after reportedly receiving 10 million Pakistani rupees as a bribe. The official is accused of granting permission to demolish the gurdwara and replace it with a clothing boutique.
"It is reported that the gurdwara was transferred in the names of Waheed Bala's two wives, Rida Jadoon and Ayesha Waheed. Pakistani Sikh leaders have appealed for the immediate dismissal of the concerned ETPB official and for the preservation of the gurdwara building. They stated that the department responsible for maintenance had earned millions of rupees from shops rented inside and outside the gurdwara premises, yet, contrary to regulations, it did not spend any money on the repair or upkeep of the shrine," the 'Khalsa Vox' report detailed.
"The main entrance of the gurdwara still bears the inscription 'Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha' in Gurmukhi, and the words ‘Sachkhandi Vasai Nirankar’ can be clearly read outside the Diwan Hall. Despite this, the property has now reportedly come under the control of the individual who purchased it," it noted.