Sikhs to take mandatory permission before leaving Pakistan

LAHORE: Pakistan has made it mandatory for local Sikhs to take prior permission from the top Sikh religious body before visiting other countries, especially India.

"Pakistani Sikhs will now have to take prior permission from PGSPC(Pakistan Gurdwara Sikh Parbhandhik Committtee) to leave the country," Saddiqul Farooq, Evacuee Trust Property Board Chairman told PTI.

He said the decision had been taken to have a complete record about those Sikhs leaving the country to visit their holy places especially in India.

"We want to include PGSPC to have a complete record of the Pakistani Sikhs leaving the country for pilgrimage," he said withoutgiving reasons for taking this step.

Earlier, there had been no such restriction on the Pakistani Sikhs.

Farooq further said two separate committees have been constituted headed by PGSPC pardhan (president) Sardar Sham Singh and member Punjab Assembly Ramash Singh Arora, respectively, to look into the proposed legislation related to Sikh marriages and Parbhandhik Committee.

The ETPB, which looks after the affair and upkeep of the minority holy places, in the country has also announced construction of residential apartment near the Gurdwara Taru Singh in Lahore.

The total population of Sikhs in Pakistan is around 100,000, an ETPB spokesman said.