Sikhs Protest Against Taxation By Talibanin Pakistan

[chhokaranwala]

a few reminders of the state of Sikh brothers and sisters in Pakistan:

http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/017859.php

<H3 class=title>Muslims take over Sikh Temple in Pakistan</H3>Religious imperialism: "They have taken over our temple, claiming it as their own. They have stopped us from entering the premises for the past two months."

"Muslims take over gurdwara in Lahore," from Rediff (thanks to Twostellas):

An 18th century Sikh temple at Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore has been taken over by a Muslim group, which has replaced the gurdwara's religious symbols with Islamic slogans, a Pakistani daily reported Tuesday. "They have taken over our temple, claiming it as their own. They have stopped us from entering the premises for the past two months," the Daily Times quoted Dr Mampal Singh, a representative of the Sikh community, as saying.

He also claimed that the Evacuee Trust Property Board -- which controls the Bhai Taro Singh Jee gurdwara -- was supporting the intruders on their claim and not taking any action against them.

"We have written to ETPB on July 8 for the restoration of the temple to us and the officials told us they would act on the application within a month. But they haven't done anything yet and the intruders are tightening their grip on our worship place," Dr Singh said.

attack on Nankana Sahib

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3696236.stm

Pakistan shrine raid angers Sikhs

Sikhs in the north Indian state of Punjab have expressed anger at an attack on a Sikh shrine in Pakistan.

More than 100 students threw stones at the Gurdwara shrine, birthplace of the founder of Sikhism, at Nankana Sahib, west of Lahore, on Saturday.

They were protesting at the conversion of a college building at the site into a residential hall for Sikh pilgrims.

The chief of the top Sikh shrines committee, Bibi Jagir Kaur, called the attack "a matter of grave concern".

Pakistani officials say it was the result of a minor misunderstanding and the safety of the shrine was not endangered.

The temple is the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev.

'Sabotage'

Ms Kaur issued appeals for intervention from the Indian president and from India's first Sikh Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh.

On Tuesday, the Indian foreign ministry issued a statement saying: "We hope the government of Pakistan will take the necessary measures for the protection of this holy shrine."

Bibi Jagir Kaur says a delegation will go to inspect damage

Ms Kaur said her Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee would form a high-level delegation of MPs, academics and clergy to carry out an inspection of damage to the shrine.

The shrine is looked after by the Pakistan Evacuee Properties Trust, which is responsible for most shrines of religious minorities in Pakistan.

Senior trust officials said the attack was an isolated incident and should not be overplayed.

The trust's Izhar ul-Hassan told the BBC the attack was a misunderstanding among a group of students and the matter had been resolved.

Mr ul-Hassan said media reports were being exaggerated by elements that had a vested interest in sabotaging the current improvement in India-Pakistan relations.

The students were apparently angry that the Punjab province government had agreed to hand over a college building near the temple to the Nankana Sahib Trust to house Sikh pilgrims.

They believed the college would have to be relocated. Provincial education secretary Nazir Saeed said on Sunday that the building would be vacated only after construction of a new one for the college.

[manni007]

"Muslims take over gurdwara in Lahore," from Rediff (thanks to Twostellas):

An 18th century Sikh temple at Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore has been taken over by a Muslim group, which has replaced the gurdwara's religious symbols with Islamic slogans,

a Pakistani daily reported Tuesday. "

They have taken over our temple, claiming it as their own

.

They have stopped us from entering the premises for the past two months

," the Daily Times quoted Dr Mampal Singh, a representative of the Sikh community, as saying.

He also claimed that the Evacuee Trust Property Board

-- which controls the Bhai Taro Singh Jee gurdwara --

was supporting the intruders on their claim and not taking any action against them.

"We have written to ETPB on July 8 for the restoration of the temple to us and the officials told us they would act on the application within a month.

But they haven't done anything yet and the intruders are tightening their grip on our worship place," Dr Singh said.

[manni007]

Nanaka sahib is in great danger with the growing strength of taliban in Pakistan, we need to purt greater pressure on the Paks govt to make sure its not attacked again

[UKGupt Kaur]

If you want to demonstrate, then do so agianst the Taliban,

Why only the taliban?

Isnt it in the islamic teachings to tax non-muslims. Demonstration should be against the islamic teachings not the taliban as they are simply obeying their islamc teachings.

[SarabLoh]

united sikhs is sending a team there as well for aid

[manni007]

Ukgupt kaur said :

Isnt it in the islamic teachings to tax non-muslims.

Demonstration should be against the islamic teachings not the taliban as they are simply obeying their islamic teachings

------------------

completely CORRECT!

[manni007]

satpunga any info on the latest with what khalsa aid is doing to help those sikh refugees suffereing in PUKE-ISTHAN and what we can do to help?

thanx

[manni007]

good to see people are doing sumthing