ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to protecting the rights of religious minorities as thousands of Sikh pilgrims from around the world gathered in Nankana Sahib to celebrate the 556th birth anniversary of Sikhism’s founder, Baba Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Pakistan is home to more than 15,000 Sikhs, while every year tens of thousands of Sikh pilgrims arrive in Pakistan to visit Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Baba Guru Nanak, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, which is his final resting place, and other holy sites.
The Pakistan High Commission has issued more than 2,100 visas to Indian Sikh pilgrims to participate in the celebrations in the first major allowance after travel between India and Pakistan was frozen during their four-day conflict in May this year.
In his message on the day, Sharif said it is a matter of pride for Pakistan to protect Gurdwaras associated with the life and teachings of Baba Guru Nanak, who taught peace and equality for all humanity.
"The Government of Pakistan is unwaveringly committed to protecting the rights of all religious minorities," he said. "In line with this commitment, the government is providing all possible facilities to the pilgrims who come to all these religious places to pay their homage."
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion born in the 15th century in Punjab, a region spanning parts of what is now India and Pakistan. The frontier between the two countries was a colonial creation drawn at the violent end of British rule in 1947, which sliced the subcontinent into Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan.
While most Sikhs migrated to India during partition, some of their most revered places of worship ended up in Pakistan, including the shrines in Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur. For more than seven decades, the Sikh community had lobbied for easier access to its holiest temples in Pakistan, with Islamabad’s decision to open the Kartarpur Corridor in 2019 earning widespread international appreciation.
"Baba Guru Nanak’s eternal teachings, including love for humanity, selfless service and interfaith harmony, have been guiding generations," Sharif said in his message.
"His message of unity, togetherness and tolerance is a beacon of light to establish a peaceful and just world."
