Plight of Sikhs in Pakistan

Nabeela Irfan, Deputy Commissioner, Narowal in a letter addressed in December last year to Maj. Gen. Kamal Azfar,  DG, Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has alleged that FWO has misappropriated funds of KC and is refusing to provide account documents to Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Auditor General of Pakistan responsible for audit of Kartarpur Corridor (KC). Nabeel has also alleged that irregularities have come to notice in a report submitted by Dr. Shoaib Salim  ADC, Narowal. The report contains the following irregularities amounting to approx 165 crore PKR.

1. A bill of 7 lac cement bags has been deposited while actual usage was of around 4.29 lac cement bags.
2. The base of the buildings have been kept 11.5 feet deep instead of 18 feet.
3. Bricks bought from Chaudhary Mukhtar, Brick Kiln owner, Shakargarh were of low quality while bill was submitted of good quality bricks.
4. Global Nobel Company which was given major work of KC is owned by one Brig (Retd) Yousuf Mirza which was constituted just three days prior to awarding of KC Project contract.

Kamal Azfar has recently asked PAC that projects like KC should be exempted from audit due to their strategic importance. This proposal was rejected (22.12.21) by PAC Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain.

GULAB DEVI LAHORE UNDERPASS NAME CHANGED TO ABDUL SATTAR EIDHI

Punjab Govt has changed (28.12.21) the name of Gulab Devi underpass situated opposite Gulab Devi Chest Hospital to Abdul Sattar Eidhi Underpass. This was announced by Usman Buzdar, CM Punjab while inaugurating the renovated under pass.  (Gulab Devi was mother of Lala Lajpat Rai. Lajpat Rai had established the trust to build and run a TB hospital in memory of his mother in 1927).

PROHIBITION ON SIKHS TO CARRY SWORD INSIDE GOVERNMENT OFFICES IN KPK

Peshawar High Court in its order (23.12.21) has prohibited Sikhs from carrying the ‘Kirpan’ while entering Government offices including Judicial courts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. High Court has further asked Sikhs to apply for arms license to carry the sword on person. Peshawar based Sikhs had filed a case in court (July, 2020) for allowing them to carry the sword in public place citing that it was part of their Sikh religion and Amritdhari Sikhs have to wear the sword under Sikh tenets (Part of 5 Kakars). In a letter addressed (21.12.21) to Gurpal Singh, Peshawar based Sikh leader the Additional Registrar, Peshawar High court has directed that the sword has been declared a licensed weapon and thus Sikhs have to secure a license for the same.