‘Proud of serving Sikh community’: Governor Punjab

LAHORE: Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on Tuesday said that he had developed a close bond with the Sikhs across the globe over the years and was proud of serving the Sikh community in the province.

“The government, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, is doing its best to ensure minority rights in the country”, he said while addressing a Sikh Muslim Friendship seminar at a private school here.

He said no country could make progress without active economic role of its minorities.

Sikh Muslim Friendship seminar was held under the auspices of Unique Group of Institutions (UGI) and attended by Parliamentary Secretary Punjab Mahinder Pal Singh, Sikh leaders Gopal Singh Chawla, Kalyan Singh, Darshan Singh, Dharam Singh, Ravinder Singh and Manjeet Kaur from Canada.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar said that Sikh and Muslims enjoyed cordial relations in the sub-continent for centuries.

Sarwar said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was committed to preserve the culture and religious sites of the Sikhs in the country, adding that construction of Kartarpur Corridor was a proof of Sikh Musilm Friendship.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan wished to develop a Pakistan as per vision of Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah who granted equal rights to the minorities in the nascent state of Pakistan.

On Sikh Muslim Friendship, the Governor Punjab said the government wished to create an environment where all were equal in the eye of law and people enjoyed equal rights irrespective of their cast, creed or colour. He said, "Pakistan is a haven to the Sikhs and they acknowledged our hospitality everywhere in the world."

Speaking on the occasion, Punjabi Sikh Sangat Chairman Gopal Singh Chawla said that many of their heroes were Muslims.

“I am proud to be a Pakistani and the beautiful picture of Pakistan does not complete without presence of the Sikhs,” he said, adding that Sikhs and Muslims lived in complete harmony before the partition of Bharat in 1947.

He hailed the Governor Punjab as a benefactor of Sikhs in Pakistan and a great advocate of Sikh Muslim friendship.

Parlaimenatry Secreatry Punjab Mahinder Pal Singh said the minorities enjoyed unprecedented respect in Pakistan, adding that Kartarpur Corridor was the one small example which the Indian government did not digest at all.

The PTI Sikh leader said Sikhs were thankful to the Pakistani Muslims for the respect accorded to them, adding that the seminar would go a long way in Sikh Muslim friendship and the Chairman Unique Professor Abdul Manan Khurran must be hailed for it.

Manjeet Kaur alias Meera G – a Canadian Sikh girl, also presented a Naat-e-Rasool-e-Maqbool Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) during the ceremony.

Governor Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar also gave away cheques to the students of Unique Group of Institutions who had won distinction in Lahore and Sahiwal Boards during the 2019 examination.

Governor Punjab was also presented a souvenir by the Chairman Unique Prof. Abdul Manan Khurram.