India condemns Pakistan for sale of Sikh lands

By Ravi Matah

NEW DELHI – Indian government officials and parliamentarians are up in arms over the sale of lands adjacent to Sikh holy places inside Pakistan.

Acres of land belonging to the minority Sikh community  located around Gurudwara Deh (Sikh Temple)  near the defence colony in Lahore were apparently sold off at bargain basement prices, causing an uproar in Punjab where Sikhs are in the majority.

The dispute has resulted in India asking its nationals not to go on pilgrimage to ancient shrines located inside Pakistani territory.

The Pakistan Evacuee Trust Property Board has sold around 150 acres of land – worth millions – at a throwaway price to the Defence Housing Authority which is in violation of Pakistan’s policy of not selling property belonging to any religious place.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that India intervene if the Pakistani government fails to take action in the case.

India’s foreign ministry issued a statement expressing concern over reports of the sale.

”The reported incidents of sale of some of the land attached to Gurdwaras in Pakistan have caused concern in India. Government has conveyed the concerns in this regard to the Government of Pakistan, and requested it to look into the matter and take appropriate remedial action,” said a foreign ministry spokesman.

New Delhi will now raise the issue through diplomatic channels with Islamabad.

Foreign minister S. M. Krishna told parliament he will take up the matter with Pakistani counterparts.

“I share his concern and the concern of this House. I will certainly take it up with the concerned authorities in Pakistan,” he said in response to a question raised by an opposition member of parliament.

An opposition MP demanded the government haul in the Pakistani ambassador to make India’s stand clear to authorities in Islamabad.

“Next they will sell Panja Sahib (one of the few Sikh Gurudwaras in Pakistan), where there is still the hand imprint of first Sikh guru Guru Nanak,” said a Sikh member of parliament.

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