In a shocking development in Pakistan, the Imran Khan government has officially taken over the full control of Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, the sacred place of the Sikhs located at Kartarpur.
Its for the first time that the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has been scrapped off its management rights of this sacred Gurudwara.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs(MoRA), set up the 'Project Kartapur Corridor' and handed over the management and maintenance of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur to a Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) headed by Muhammad Tariq Khan.
According to an official order, Pakistan has termed it as 'Project Business Plan' to be looked after by nine officials and staffs of Evacuee Trust Property Board.
According to a notification issued on November 3, following approval of the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet, the MoRA had set up the PMU Kartapur Sahib, which will be a self-financing body for the management and maintenance of Kartarpur Sahib under the administrative control of ETPB.
According to sources, ETPB has appointed as many as nine officials and staff members at the newly set up PMU Kartarpur Sahib without a single Sikh member.
This is reportedly the first gurdwara of Pakistan whose control, management, and maintenance will no more be under the the management of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Kartarpur marks the most significant phase in the life of Guru Nanak Devji - the founder of Sikhism and first of the ten gurus of the sect.
Located at the west bank of river Ravi, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent the last 18 years of his life in Kartarpur village, now part of Pakistan.
Only last year the historic corridor to one of Sikhism's holiest shrines, Gurudwara Darbar Sahib was opened allowing Indian pilgrims rare visa-free access to the site in Pakistan.
The Kartarpur corridor leads from the border straight to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur, 4km (2.5 miles) away.
