JHELUM: The Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has taken notice of the dilapidated condition of a historical Gurdwara Sahib in the city of Jhelum and directed the restoration and protection of the building.
The ancient city of Jhelum is home to a number of historical sites of relevance to Sikh history, many of which have been abandoned and neglected over time. The Gurdwara Sahib in Jhelum known as Gurdwara Bhai Karam Singh falls into this category.
Situated in the Bagh Mohalla near to the river bank of the River Jhelum, no exact date is mentioned when the Gurdwara was built, although the sign plates shows that it dates back to at least the early nineteen-twenties. Initially the Gurdwara Sahib was situated on a small piece of land which gradually increased following contributions by various people including Raies-e-Azam Lahore Bawa Dinga Singh and Bhai Karam Singh Ahluwalia. The Gurdwara Sahib consists of two floors and was expanded over a period of six years from 1938 to 1944.
On Saturday, the Minister for Information and Technology in Pakistan (pictured above) directed that the concerned department to prepare a plan for the renovation and protection of the Gurdwara Sahib.In a statement, he said:
“religious buildings are important historical asset and cultural heritage and their protection is our moral and social responsibility.”
The minister said the renovation of this Gurdwara will provide an opportunity to Sikh community from around the world to visit their historical place of worship. and that such steps are very important for religious harmony.
