Shehbaz Sharif set to be Pakistan PM, but why is this Indian village celebrating

These days many Indian origin people or with Indian roots are at the political helm of affairs across the world. After some of the high-profile office bearers including the Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris, an Indian-origin were sworn-in, its time for a person with Indian roots to head the state of Pakistan. 

The new Prime Minister who will be heading Pakistan soon, Shehbaz Sharif also has an Indian connection. Even as the two nations do not share too cordial a relationship, in a small bordering village of India, prayers are being performed for Shehbaz Sharif to become the next Prime Minister of Pakistan.

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Prayers for Shehbaz Sharif in this Indian village

Sounds odd, but true because this small village is the ancestral home of the Sharif family. The bordering village in Amritsar, Jati Umra is a small but prosperous village. On Sunday, local people gathered at the local gurudwara here to pray for Shehbaz Sharif to become the next Prime Minister.

In fact, it would be a matter of pride for his village if someone related to their soil reaches the top post. The Sharif family had migrated from here to Pakistan after the partition, but they still keep in touch with this village. This village of Punjab in undivided India was a Hindu majority village.

The only house here belonging to a Muslim was that of the Sharif family. At the time of partition, the Sharif family decided to move to Pakistan. Actually the Sharif family is of Kashmiri origin. His father came to this village of Punjab from Anantnag. Shehbaz Sharif's mother belongs to Pulwama.

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After partition, his father started business in Lahore which grew with time. At present, Sharif's Ittefaq Group is one of the largest industry groups in Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif's visit to his ancestral village

The Sharif family has never forgotten their roots. Shehbaz Sharif came here for the first time with his father in 1964. His father Mian Muhammad Sharif also came here in 1979. Shehbaz revisited his ancestral village once again on December 15, 2013.

However, Shehbaz and his elder brother Nawaz Sharif were not born in this village. Both of them were born after independence in Lahore. But the Sharif family always kept their relation with this village. This village is 35 km away from Amritsar. The village has good road connectivity and has other facilities as well.

Villagers feel happy and proud

After the Imran Khan government was dethroned, it became clear that Shehbaz Sharif will be the likely Prime Minister of Pakistan. This changed the complete atmosphere in the village. The are proud that someone whose family belonged to this place is now going to head a country.

There are still many people living in the village who remember about the Sharif family and their close ties with them. There are many people here who went to Lahore on the invitation of the Sharif family and they were well taken care of there.

Shehbaz's father donated land for Gurudwara

As soon as the Imran Khan government fell, the people of Jati Umra went to the local gurdwara to perform Ardas (prayers) for the Sharif family. Gurudwara Kalgidhar Sahib situated in the village is built on the same land which once belonged to Shehbaz Sharif's father. In 1979, Shehbaz's father donated this land for the Gurudwara.