As the Sikh jatha from India prepares to return from Pakistan after celebrating the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, a “cultural programme” purportedly held near Gurudwara Sri Dehra Sahib in Lahore on Wednesday evening has sparked debate.
Sources said the event, organised by the Pakistan government in the presence of officials from the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), reportedly included Bhangra, dance, and singing.
Critics argued that hosting such a programme near the site where the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, was martyred violated the Sikh “maryada” (code of conduct) and the sanctity of the location.
Ramesh Singh Arora, Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs in Punjab, Pakistan, and president of the PSGPC, said the matter was being unnecessarily sensationalised.
In an audio message, he clarified that the event was a “Sufi night” organised in honour of Sikh pilgrims and took place at Hazuri Bagh, away from the gurdwara premises.