As a part of diamond jubilee celebrations of 75th year of Pakistan’s Independence, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority arranged a visit of Sikh Yatrees (pilgrims) to the historical Gurdwaras of Hazara and Malakand districts.
Eager to explore their heritage and learn more about their historical presence, the delegation visited different Gurdwaras and offered their prayers.
While visiting the historical Gurdwara in Mansehra, Chairman Singh Sabha Youth Sardar Parwindar Singh said, “It’s a pleasure to see that the historical Gurdwara is well-maintained. Moreover, the library established here not only preserves religious text but is also promoting educational activities.”
On the occasion, Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) Abid Khan Wazir said, “There are numerous historical shrines of the Sikh community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and we are taking adequate steps to promote religious tourism while maintaining the sanctity of these sites and encouraging religious tourism so that not only local minorities but also the foreign community can pay a visit to these places and perform their religious activities.”
Manager Events Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) Hassina Shaukat said that tourism facilities had been provided to various communities in the province and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was helping minorities in every regard and treats them with respect and honor.
Earlier, many events including boating had been organized for the Sikh community, she said, adding, “besides religious tourism, we are trying to promote adventure tourism for the minorities.”
During the visit, the Sikh community sightsaw the Shiv Mandir in Mansehra, which is a thousand years old temple. The delegation also visited the ancient historical Sri Panja Sahib Gurdwara in Hasan Abdal, built during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh which is about 7500 years old and is accompanied by natural springs.
The group will also explore Gurdwaras and other historical sites in Swat Mingora District, which were closed post-partition and are now open for tourists after restoration.
The pilgrims expressed special gratitude for the efforts extended by KPCTA and hoped that the cultural and religious ties would be further strengthened by such activities in future.
