A sad day when people attack holy sites. It just goes to show that we Pakistanis just cannot seem to tolerate anyone. The Gurdwara provides so much for the local community, let alone bringing in so much wealth from the visiting Sikhs every year. I have visited the Gurdwara with my family in 2002 (we are Muslim, UK) and were treat with so much respect likewise at Panja Sahib. It is just… what can I say?
hmmm...
i didnt find the news link nor did i find the news item anywhere...
can anyone post a link plz?
is this true? must be the work of some disruptive elements, b/c from what i know the local population has always been very welcoming and hospitable to visiting sikhs..
Attack artical
Date : 2004-09-28
Jarring note in new India-Pak ties, Nankana Sahib, Holy shrine of Sikhs near Lahore, attacked
From M Rama Rao - Reporting for Asian Tribune from New Delhi
New Delhi, 28 September, [Asiantribune.com]: Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, one of the holiest shrines of minority Sikh community, near Lahore was attacked and the college building belonging to the shrine trust was ransacked striking a jarring note in the India-Pakistan ties which are about to see bright days.
The attack took place last week end and the news reached here on Monday. Voicing distress, Indian leadership of the Sikh community urged Pakistan government to ensure the safety of their community and their holy places there.
Bibi Jagir Kaur, President Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) warned that attack could cast a shadow over the process of normalisation of ties between India and Pakistan.
Tarlochan Singh, chairman, National Minorities Commission (of India), also voiced similar apprehensions.
He said the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara is a sacred place for the Sikhs all over the world and described the attack as a ‘heinous’ crime.
“It will instil fear in the 50-strong small Sikh community there (Lahore) and it has hurt the sentiments of millions of Sikh people”, Tarlochan Singh said in a statement.
Media reports from Lahore said an angry mob of locals and students attacked the Gurudwara on Saturday morning in protest against a committee’s recommendation that the Punjab government return the Government Guru Nanak Degree College building to the Nankana Sahib trust to accommodate Sikh pilgrims.
The mob first attacked the college and then stormed the temple and stoned the inner sanctum.
The attack drew protests from the Sikh community who demonstrated in front of the Lahore Press Club.
Gulab Singh, another member of Sikh Sangat Pakistan, was not satisfied with the security arrangements made by police.
“They sent only 200 men there while they promised that 500 policemen would be sent to Nankana Sahib to protect the Gurudawara Janam Asthan and the properties of Sikhs. We are facing a serious problem there. The students have given a call to all the students in the district and have threatened to attack again,” Gulab Singh said.
The local administration is to be blamed for the attack, according to a prominent Pakistan news paper, The Daily Times, which said editorially that the administration had showed ‘a most abysmal disregard for the extent of damage the incident would cause to the prestige of the country and its minorities policy’
The Sheikhupura police DIG reached the spot and tried to look efficient but was unable to prevent the outrage, the daily reported.
The college building belongs to the Gurudwara estate. According to reports, the suggestion that the college vacate the building had not come from the Gurudwara management but from a committee set up by the Punjab government.
The committee had recommended that the college building be restored to the Gurudwara to house the increased number of Sikh devotees visiting from all over the world. It also specifically recommended that the college be given alternative land and building site before being evacuated.
“Despite that, a plot was hatched in the city by some local elements to exploit the unannounced recommendations of the committee and take out a violent procession in the name of religion. It is a sad commentary on the college that its teaching has not divested its students of religious prejudice and that the college staff has failed to inculcate in them the emotion of gratitude towards the Gurudwara which was due to it”, commented the Daily Times.
The Nankana Sahib estate is actually a symbol of Muslim-Sikh solidarity. In 1994, the foundation stone of Nankana Sahib Foundation was laid by Rai Bashir Ahmad Khan Bhatti, a member of the National Assembly and chairman of the Standing Committee on Education.
Bhatti is the oldest living descendent of Chaudhry Rai Bular Bhatti, a contemporary of Guru Nanak, who recognised that the Guru was a divine soul.
Over the last five hundred years, the Bhatti family had donated almost 11,000 acres of its land to the Sikh religious shrines in and around Nankana Sahib. The 1994 foundation, built over 10 acres of land, was donated by Chaudhry Rai Sarwar Bhatti, also a direct descendent of Rai Bular Bhatti.
The entire Nankana Sahib Estate consists of 16,962 acres. Most of it is leased to the farmers and residents of Nankana Sahib. Almost all the houses in Nankana Sahib are built on this property.
The Nankana Sahib Estate is the property of the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara (Gurudwara Janam Asthan). It cannot be sold to anyone. In that about 40,000 people who live in Nankana Sahib are direct beneficiaries as the Gurudwara management should allows them to hold the property in perpetuity.
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has taken serious note the attack and asked the police to punish sternly ‘those who took law into their hands’.
- Asian Tribune -
hmmmm...thanks for posting the article
highly unfortunate...
but im glad abt the state response:
"Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has taken serious note the attack and asked the police to punish sternly ‘those who took law into their hands’. "
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by irem: *
"Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has taken serious note the attack and asked the police to punish sternly ‘those who took law into their hands’. "
[/QUOTE]
If a mosque was attacked, they would have asked the Army to investigate. For a Gurdwara he only asks corrupt plicemen?
may be this to sabotage india-pakistan peace talks espcially to upset
manmohansingh. whenever kashmir problem about to be solved
somthing happens?
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Gupta: *
If a mosque was attacked, they would have asked the Army to investigate. For a Gurdwara he only asks corrupt plicemen?
[/QUOTE]
LOL!
so please tell me, in the sad history of violence targetting Muslim mosques in Pakistan, how many of them have had army investigations into them?
matlab kuch pata bhi nahi tabh bhi bolena hay. dramay.
rvikz, i doubt Pakistani leaders would jeopardise peace process between us and India because some Hindu fanatics pillaged through a Muslim mosque. Perhaps your leaders should be a bit more mature, if they really are swayed by random criminal incidents. Much more easier to manipulate no?
Exactly! only a few months ago there was an article saying that the international Sikh community was to invest many $millions in Pakistan, especially at Nankana Sahib area, and build a university for students of all backgrounds. But saying all this and reading the article, my opinion is that there is political motive behind this. Someone is probably trying to tarnish the new India and Pak relationship. For over 50 years the Sikhs and Muslims in Pak have lived peacefully, then suddenly this to happen is bit suspect, what do you think?
lol i second ravage’s reply above
isnt it absolutely unbelievable the kind of fkin losers who have absolutely nothing in their heads about our country.. and still wish to belittle it?
bole na gupta pyaray.. kitni army investigations launch huin hein? har saal to mosques par 20 attack hotay hein.. kafi stats mil gayin hongi abtak.
http://www.dawn.com/2004/10/02/top7.htm
**Four held for attack on Gurdwara **
By Our Correspondent
SHEIKHUPURA, Oct 1: Police on Friday arrested four people - two lawyers and a former MPA - on charges of instigating students to attack Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib.
Already under investigation, the Nankana bar president, Rana Ali Asghar, former president Rai Mohammad Amin Bhatti, senior lawyer and ex-MPA Chaudhry Barkat Ali Ghayur and Nankana Citizens Welfare Society president Abdul Hamid Rehmani were summoned to the DPO’s office here and later confined in A division lockup.
Rana Ali Asghar and Rai Amin Bhatti are also union council nazims. The Nankana bar meanwhile decided to approach the Lahore High Court against the ‘illegal detention’ of three lawyers.
pakistan is holy place for sikh relgen like mecca is for islam?
Amazing that such senior government officials can be involved in such a hate crime.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Sadiqaan: *
Amazing that such senior government officials can be involved in such a hate crime.
[/QUOTE]
But how do you know this is true?
Do your own independent thinking. Media reports are not gospel, you know.
I don't know, but this could just be a conspiracy incited by foreigners to malign Pakistan.
After all, how can such a thing happen?
Talwar sahib, the sad truth is that conspiracy to malign Pakistan is accomplished best by Pakistanis themselves.
You might find your line of argument funny, but to many Pakistanis, it is gospel.