Karachi Sikh Community Scrambles to Save Gurdwara

KARACHI - The minority Sikh community, which is said to have 2, 500 registered voters in Karachi, is extremely disturbed because it fears that its only place of worship in the city, the gurdwara Ratan Tala, situated on plot No AM335 near Preedy Police Station in Saddar, would be demolished soon.

The Gurdwara Ratan Tala was established in 1932 in the heart of the city but during the government of military dictator General Ziaul Haq in 1984, Nabi Bux Government College was established in its compoud and the area was taken over by the Sindh education department. However, the gurdwara remained untouched and the Sikh community kept performing their rituals until some six months ago when police intervened on the pretext that “college students were disturbed by their worship,” according to Sardar Ramesh Singh, chairman, Sikh Naujawan Sabah.

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Letter from Avtar Singh, President of SGPC, to Manmohan Singh, PM of India:

March 17, 2006

Respected Sardar Manmohan Singh ji,

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh .

The news-item published in a Pakistani daily and reaching here via e-mail from Sardar Ramesh Singh Chairman Sikh Naujawan Sabha, Karachi has a shocking tale to tell that Gurdwara Ratan Tala built on plot No. AM 335 near Preedy Police Station Sadar, Karachi has been ordered to be demolished by the education department of Sindh, on the ground that the prayers at Gurdwara Sahib interfered with the smooth working of Nabi Bux Govt. College, built on the land of Gurdwara. Though, in response to an approach to education minister, Sindh, she has given assurance of sparing the Gurdwara from demolition, yet a word from Govt. of India to Pakistan would lend sufficient support to the case. The copy of said news-item is enclosed herewith for your kind perusal.

It is, therefore, requested that Pakistan Govt. may kindly be approached against demolition of the said Gurdwara, the only one place of Sikh worship in the city.

With best regards,

Yours Sincerely,

[Signed]

(Avtar Singh)

[Dated]
Click here to view the above letter with letterhead.