ISLAMABAD: Religious leaders representing Pakistan’s major faiths and Islamic schools of thought have rejected what they described as India’s “baseless propaganda” regarding a Sikh religious site in Farooqabad, Sheikhupura.
According to the participants, India had alleged in recent days that a Sikh gurdwara in Farooqabad had been demolished and occupied by local residents. They said the claim was false, explaining that the site is a historic dharamshala that has remained in its original condition since before the creation of Pakistan. They added that only one wall had collapsed due to its deteriorated condition.
A delegation led by National Peace Committee Coordinator and Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, along with Muslim scholars and representatives of Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities, visited the site and formally inaugurated restoration work on the damaged wall.
The delegation stated that the dharamshala would be restored in its original form and that only the collapsed section of the structure would be reconstructed.
Speaking to the media, the religious leaders said Pakistan belongs to people of all faiths and maintained that non-Muslim communities enjoy extensive constitutional and religious rights in the country.
They further stated that Pakistani Muslims remain committed to protecting the rights of religious minorities and said the government would continue ensuring the security of minority communities, their places of worship and their sacred religious sites.
