World News | Pak PM Imran Khan Extends Greetings on Guru Nanak's Birth Anniversary
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday assured the country's religious minorities that his government was committed to preserve and protect their holy sites as he extended his greetings to the Sikh community on the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Islamabad, Nov 30 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday assured the country's religious minorities that his government was committed to preserve and protect their holy sites as he extended his greetings to the Sikh community on the 551st birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
The founder of Sikhism and the first guru of Sikhs was born in 1469 in Nankana Sahib, now in Pakistan.
Also Read | World’s Most Polluted Cities 2020: Lahore Again Tops List, New Delhi Second Followed by Kathmandu.
"I extend my warm greetings to the entire Sikh community on the 551st birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak. I want to assure our Sikh community that two of their holiest shrines in Pakistan - Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur - will be protected and all possible facilities will be made available to them," Khan said in a video message shared by the state-run Radio Pakistan.
He said his government had completely revamped Hassan Abdal Railway Station to facilitate Sikh pilgrims visiting the sacred site at Panja Sahib.
"All facilities have been provided at the railway station," Khan said.
Noting that Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur are two of the holiest sites of Sikhs, he said these religious places were as sacred to Sikhs as Makkah and Madinah are to Muslims.
Khan said his government was committed to preserving and safeguarding the holy sites of religious minorities, including churches, temples, and places belonging to Buddhism, as well as the Gandhara civilisation.
According to the Government of Pakistan's National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), there were 6,146 Sikhs registered in Pakistan in 2012. Most are settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa followed by Sindh and Punjab.
Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus are living in the country. The majority of Pakistan's Hindu population is settled in Sindh province.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)