Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has acquired the control of Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib from PSGPC and transferred it to Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) just a few days before its one-year opening anniversary. Imran Khan’s govt. Pakistan has taken over the Gurudwara Darbar Sahib at Kartarpur in Narowal district of Punjab. From past years, it is for the first time that PSGPC i.e. Pakistan’s Sikh Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee has lost its rights of management and control over the Gurudwara Sahib.
The move has been made just a few days before when the PSGPC was planning to arrange the one-year opening anniversary of the pilgrimage.
The Pakistan Ministry of Religious Affairs has transferred the control to ETPB, which is a body that manages religious properties and holy places of Sikhs and Hindus in Pakistan. As per an official order released on 3rd November, “Consequent upon the approval of Project Management Unit (PMU) Kartarpur Corridor by ECC of the Cabinet, and ratified by the Cabinet (conveyed by MoRA…dated 23.10.2020), the competent authority has been pleased to establish Project Management Unit (PMU), a self-financing body, for Management and Maintenance of Gurdwara Dardar Sahib Kartarpur (GADSK) under the administrative control of ETPB.”
“All officers/officials are relieved from their duties with immediate effect with directions to join their new place of posting forthwith.”
Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Akali Dal leader, on the behalf of all Sikh community, criticized the move made.
BJP leader Tarun Chug raised questions on Imran Khan Government’s idea of secularism. He also said that this action from Imran has hurt the sentiments of all Hindus and Sikhs all over the world.
Former minister of Punjab, Daljeet Cheema expressed his urge for recovering the rights of “Sewa” back to PSGPC. He also mentioned, “This is a great injustice committed to the Sikh community, we hope the Pakistan government revokes this order.”
