India Condemns Demolition of Historic 125-Year-Old Gurdwara in Pakistan

India has issued a strong condemnation following reports of the demolition of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan. The shrine, which is considered a site of deep religious significance for the global Sikh community and linked to the late 19th-century Singh Sabha Movement, was reportedly razed on the night of June 24. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs described the act as a targeted and deplorable instance of vandalism against a minority religious site.

This demolition is not an isolated occurrence but is being viewed as part of a persistent pattern of targeting religious minorities within Pakistan. Representatives of the local Sikh community have expressed frustration, alleging that local authorities and the Evacuee Trust Property Board failed to take preventive action despite previous warnings about the security of historical shrines. The incident has drawn attention to the declining safety of protected minority heritage sites in Pakistan's Punjab province, raising concerns about the systemic protection of historical religious landmarks.

India has officially urged the Pakistani government to conduct an immediate investigation and bring the perpetrators of this act to justice. The Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that Pakistan bears a responsibility to preserve the integrity of minority religious sites and ensure the safety of their communities. India has called for the immediate restoration and reconstruction of the damaged gurdwara. This incident remains a point of diplomatic tension, as it underscores the ongoing challenges related to sectarian violence and the protection of cultural heritage for non-Muslim minorities in the region.