New Delhi, November 29, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
There is a vehement demand being raised for giving complete independence to Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC). Manjit Singh G.K. international president of the Religious party Jag Asra Guru Oat (Jathedar Santokh Singh) has sent a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan through the High Commission of the country in New Delhi.
In the written communication Manjit Singh G.K. demanded that Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) under which the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) functions like a rubber stamp should transfer the ownership of huge properties, agriculture lands and the buildings attached with the Gurdwaras to Shri Guru Granth Sahib who is the living Guru of Sikhs, or the PSGPC the body that manages Gurdwaras in Pakistan.
G.K. said that Imran Khan has given wings to the aspirations of Sikhs community living across the world by opening the Kartarpur Corridor for that he deserves special place in the hearts of Sikh community. G.K. hoped that Imran would show large heartedness to fulfill other demands of Sikhs and in the line of doing that, transferring the Gurdwara properties in the name of Shri Guru Granth Sahib would be the biggest work.
It is best if the upkeep of Gurdwaras in Pakistan and the properties attached to it be given to PSGPC taking it out of the control of ETPB. JAGO Party head G.K. also said that ETPB has become a citadel of corruption and at that cost, the institution of Gurdwaras is suffering.
He added that instead of preserving the properties the Board is mixed up with the land mafia who usurping Gurdwara properties.Manjit Singh G.K. in a letter to Imran Khan said that he feels sad over Sikh pilgrims coming from across the world for Darshans of the religious places are allowed to visit only a few Gurdwaras and are stopped from paying obeisance at all the other religious Shrines.
G.K. referred to an agreement on 8, April 1950 between then Prime Minister of India Jawahar Lal Nehru and the then Pakistan Prime Minister Liyaqat Ali Khan to protect the religious institutions in both the countries.
The pact know as the Nehru-Liyaqat, said G.K., the religious places and properties abandoned in both countries would be managed by the boards which would be headed by Sikhs or Hindus in Pakistan and Muslims in India. G.K. said Pakistan has violated the agreement.
Also as per the pact it was decided to have six officials and 18 non-official members were to be nominated. Also, as G.K. disclosed out of the total eight members are Sikhs or Hindus while ten members are Muslims which is also violation of the pact. This is also violation of Pant-Mirza pact held in 1955.
G.K. revealed that ETPB has 1,09,404 acres of agriculture land and 46,499 acres of developed area and in 2017 Chief Justice of Pakistan Milan Saqib Nisar has pointed serious corruption charges on the ETPB, when he was hearing the case related to land of attached with Temple in Pakistan board of which was then headed by a Muslim Asif Hashmi and it was reported that he committing fraud worth crores of rupees of the shrine land fled Pakistan.
According to Manjit Singh GK Ramesh Kumar Vanakwani attempted to bring a legislation in 2018 to make Sikhs or Hindus as heads of the board managing Sikh and Hindu shrine properties, however the legislation was rejected by a standing committee on religious affairs.
For this reason Gurdwara and Mandir lands are misused for commercial purposes on the behest of senior board officials, and in Dera Ismail Khan Hindus and Sikhs are facing problem for cremating bodies because the designated land was usurped. And land of Kali Bari temple was sold for opening a luxury hotel.
Concluding the letter to Imran Khan Manjit Singh G.K. demanded that the boards managing Sikh and Hindu shrine should have members from the same religion who are elected in a democratic process.
