Pak set to declare Panja Sahib as holy city
14 Jun 2013 5:30 AM IST
The Pakistan government has decided to declare ‘Panja Sahib’ a holy city and would initiate efforts to sort out all issues related to the welfare of the Sikhs living at the pilgrimage site.
This was stated by the president of Pak-Indo friendship association and legal consulate ministry of interior government of Pakistan Arif Chaudhry, during his meeting with the Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal here, an official release said here.
Panja Sahib is believed to house a rock having the hand print of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikh religion, and is a popular pilgrimage spot for Sikhs across the world.
Chaudhary also invited Badal to Pakistan to attend a function organised by the Association on this occasion, the schedule of which would be finalised as per his convenience.
Accepting the invitation, Badal said that he had always championed the cause for further strengthening bilateral ties between India and Pakistan through opening Hussainiwal and Fazilka border that would give impetus to trade.
He hoped with the formation of the new government in Pakistan, the bilateral relations would further improve and new business and cultural exchange avenues would be worked out through promoting people to people contact programmes.
The Pakistan official said that the forum would also try to sort out all issues related to the welfare of Sikhs living at Panja Sahib.
Gurdwara Panja Sahib is situated at Hasan Abdal, 48 kilometres (30 mi) from Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
On 12 June, however, a Sikh pilgrim from India died of a heart attack while travelling in a train in this eastern Pakistani city, officials said.
Jaswinder Singh, a 69-year-old resident of Delhi, suffered a severe heart attack while travelling in the train at Chowki Shahdara Railway Station and died instantly on 11 June, officials of a state-run rescue service said.
Despite this tragedy, this declaration comes as another step in the improved religious ties between the two countries.
This was stated by the president of Pak-Indo friendship association and legal consulate ministry of interior government of Pakistan Arif Chaudhry, during his meeting with the Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal here, an official release said here.
Panja Sahib is believed to house a rock having the hand print of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikh religion, and is a popular pilgrimage spot for Sikhs across the world.
Chaudhary also invited Badal to Pakistan to attend a function organised by the Association on this occasion, the schedule of which would be finalised as per his convenience.
Accepting the invitation, Badal said that he had always championed the cause for further strengthening bilateral ties between India and Pakistan through opening Hussainiwal and Fazilka border that would give impetus to trade.
He hoped with the formation of the new government in Pakistan, the bilateral relations would further improve and new business and cultural exchange avenues would be worked out through promoting people to people contact programmes.
The Pakistan official said that the forum would also try to sort out all issues related to the welfare of Sikhs living at Panja Sahib.
Gurdwara Panja Sahib is situated at Hasan Abdal, 48 kilometres (30 mi) from Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
On 12 June, however, a Sikh pilgrim from India died of a heart attack while travelling in a train in this eastern Pakistani city, officials said.
Jaswinder Singh, a 69-year-old resident of Delhi, suffered a severe heart attack while travelling in the train at Chowki Shahdara Railway Station and died instantly on 11 June, officials of a state-run rescue service said.
Despite this tragedy, this declaration comes as another step in the improved religious ties between the two countries.
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