After SGPC objection, Pak cancels cultural event near Kartarpur Sahib

The Pakistan government took cognisance of the SGPC objection and decided to immediately cancel “Jashan-e-Bahar” programme, a release issued by the SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, said

Amritsar: After objection from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Pakistan has cancelled “Jashan-e-Bahar” programme that was scheduled to take place from March 23 to 27 near Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

After objection from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Pakistan has cancelled “Jashan-e-Bahar” programme that was scheduled to take place from March 23 to 27 near Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

After learning about the event, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami had raised a strong objection and the gurdwara body’s secretary had written a letter to Muhammad Latif, chief executive officer (CEO) of project management unit (PMU) of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, Ameer Singh, president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), and Aftab Hasan Khan, Pakistan’s acting high commissioner to India, on Friday demanding the cancellation of the programme.

The Pakistan government took cognisance of the SGPC objection and decided to immediately cancel “Jashan-e-Bahar” programme, a release issued by the SGPC, the apex religious body of the Sikhs, said here.

The SGPC received the information regarding the cancellation of the programme through an email from CEO, PMU, Latif, on Friday evening, the release said.

Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara is the final resting place of the Sikhism founder Guru Nanak.

Welcoming the cancellation of the programme by Pakistan, Dhami hoped that “such a mistake would not be made in future”.

“The decision by PMU, Sri Kartarpur Sahib, to stop the programme by taking the SGPC objection seriously, is in the favour of the historical significance of the shrine and the maryada (code of conduct) of the Guru’s house. For the same, we thank the Pakistan Government and Evacuee Trust Property Board including the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee,” the release quoted Dhami as saying.