Pakistan's Sikh Heritage Claims Under Scrutiny as Gurdwaras Decay
Islamabad, November 1: Pakistan's commitment to protecting the Sikh community and its religious legacy is coming under fresh examination after reports revealed the poor condition of several historic gurdwaras within the country.
The reports say many of these centuries-linked sites have suffered from years of neglect, crumbling structures and encroachment. Even as these problems persist, Pakistani officials have publicly promised to protect Sikh heritage abroad, expand religious tourism and restore gurdwaras.
A report highlights a significant disconnect between Pakistan's diplomatic outreach to Sikhs in America and the reality faced by Sikh shrines at home.
Punjab's Minister for Minority Affairs, Ramesh Singh Arora, who also heads the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, recently visited a number of gurdwaras in the United States. Speaking to the diaspora, he encouraged them to get involved in preserving religious heritage through the 'Adopt a Gurdwara' initiative. He invited them to join the Gurpurab celebrations in November and assured them of a smoother visa process.
Certain social media posts, however, claimed that cash and cashier's cheques had been taken from gurdwara management committees in the United States. The claims have not been substantiated.
In a separate development, Anjum Javed, reportedly linked to the Punjab Directorate General of Archaeology, spoke at 'The Sikh Kingdom' event in Lathrop, California. He put forward a proposal for an economic corridor linking Nankana Sahib to the Khyber Pass, including the redevelopment of Jamrud Fort and the Baba Phula Singh Cantonment.
Javed reportedly said that roughly 700 million dollars had been gathered for heritage development, of which 94 million dollars came from the World Bank. The project was presented as a means to bring large numbers of Sikh pilgrims to Pakistan annually.
Yet the situation at Sikh religious sites inside Pakistan raises obvious questions about such promises. According to the report, several gurdwaras are in a state of disrepair, some have been encroached upon, and others are being used for purposes that have nothing to do with religion.
The report also notes persistent concerns over attacks on Sikhs, religious discrimination and the overall safety of minority communities.
The neglect became starkly visible in July, when the 125-year-old Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farrukhabad, Punjab province, was razed. A local businessman is alleged to have carried out the demolition without legal permission or a court order.
After the structure was demolished, parts of it lay in ruins. Sikhs from the local community responded by protesting in the streets, and only then did the relevant authorities take cognisance of the incident.
The report recalls that the night of June 24 was extremely painful for Farrukhabad's Sikh families. A place of worship where generations of their forefathers had prayed was reduced by machines. Built more than a century ago during the Singh Sabha movement, the gurdwara carried deep historical significance.
A department official later conceded that it had not paid attention to the demolition before local Sikhs took to protest. The admission has prompted questions about why the department responsible for safeguarding minority heritage did not act in time.
The report concludes that the case is not just an example of administrative negligence. It shows that Sikhs in Pakistan are repeatedly forced to fight for the right to protect their religious identity and historic heritage. Against the backdrop of Pakistan's campaign to promote Sikh heritage overseas and attract religious tourists, the dilapidated condition of gurdwaras within the country seriously weakens the credibility of that effort.