NEW DELHI: In Pakistan’s Punjab province, a 125-year-old historic gurdwara was demolished by a local businessman, sparking protests from the minority Sikh community. India also condemned the demolition of the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, calling it a “highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism” against a revered Sikh shrine.
The gurdwara was reportedly demolished on the night of June 24 without obtaining the required No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the department concerned, according to Pakistani authorities.
India has strongly condemned the reported demolition of the historic 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Pakistan’s Farooqabad, describing it as a “highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism” against a revered Sikh shrine and calling on Islamabad to bring those responsible to justice.
Responding to media queries on the reported demolition, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that New Delhi was deeply disturbed by reports of the demolition of the historic gurdwara and the alleged inaction of Pakistani authorities.
“We have seen the deeply distressing reports regarding the demolition of the historic 125-year-old sacred Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan. We strongly condemn this highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism against a revered Sikh shrine. Its destruction, along with reports of no meaningful action being taken by local authorities or the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), is a matter of grave concern,” Jaiswal said in a statement.
The MEA said the reported incident was not an isolated case and expressed concern over “systematic targeting” of religious minorities and their places of worship in Pakistan.
“This is unfortunately not an isolated incident, as we have also seen similar reports earlier. The systemic targeting of religious minorities and their places of worship in Pakistan continues unabated,” the spokesperson said.
India urged the Government of Pakistan to carry out a prompt investigation into the incident and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
“We call upon the Government of Pakistan to expeditiously investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators of this despicable act to justice,” the statement said.
The MEA also called for the immediate restoration and reconstruction of the demolished portions of the historic gurdwara.
“The demolished portions of the Gurdwara Sahib should be restored and reconstructed at the earliest,” Jaiswal said.
India further urged Pakistan to fulfil its responsibility to safeguard minority communities and protect their religious sites.
“Further, we urge the Government of Pakistan to discharge its obligations to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of its minority communities and their places of worship and put a decisive end to the prevailing environment of sectarian violence and religious intolerance in Pakistan,” the statement added.
Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday highly condemned the demolition of 125-year-old historic Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Pakistan’s Farooqabad, saying that it is regrettable that a country like Pakistan, which advocates for the protection of minorities, lets several such encroachments take place.
In a video posted on X, Sirsa noted that the Indian government has taken cognisance of the incident.
“A 125-year-old heritage Gurudwara Sahib in Pakistan’s Farooqabad was demolished overnight. I condemn this in the strongest terms; it is a grave sin committed by Pakistan. The Government of India has also taken cognisance of this, for which I am grateful. However, it is regrettable that Pakistan, a country that goes around the world guaranteeing the safety of minorities, has not only allowed the encroachment of numerous Gurudwaras but has also converted them into markets,” he said.
He highlighted an instance where a meat and poultry shop was opened inside a Gurudwara Sahib. He further expressed deep disappointment over the small number of Sikhs remaining in Pakistan, emphasising that most have been subjected to forced conversions.
“In one instance, a meat and poultry shop was even opened inside a Gurudwara Sahib. I am deeply pained. While there were hundreds of thousands of Sikhs in Pakistan after the Partition, only about 8,000 remain today; the rest were subjected to forced conversions. I condemn this vehemently and urge the global community to take note,” he said.
