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Punjab to fully support minorities, says PA speaker
* Famous Sikh personalities speak about Baisakhi
Staff Report
LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal Sahi said that the provincial government would extend all possible support to Sikh pilgrims in order to strengthen the bond between Sikhs and Muslims. The speaker while addressing a seminar Baisakhi organised by the Dyal Singh Research and Cultural Forum at a local hotel on Sunday said that it was the prime concern of the provincial government to create an ideal environment for minorities.
He said that Pakistan was a country where all holy sites of Sikhs were guarded and respected. He said this was evident in the countryâs history where there has never been a case of a single holy site or religious function being disrupted.
He said that it was the time to promote friendship between the two peoples. Both Sikhs and Muslims should keep their identity intact while promoting the culture that is common among them.
Highlighting the importance of Baisakhi, the speaker said that Baisakhi was among the first harvest festivals in the world, and it belonged to all of Punjab.
Sardar Surjeet Singh Sodi from Canada said that the Sikh community must follow the footprints of Baba Guru Nank sahib, particularly in the path of friendship between Muslims and Sikhs, of which his lessons are numerous.
He said that Pakistanâs government was respectful of the Sikh community and the money spent to keep their holy places intact was a matter of pride for them. He said these measures would be remembered as a token of love. He said that they were thankful to the government of Pakistan for working on a proposal to allow Pakistani Sikh community to get married under Sikh Marriage Act and hoped that the Pakistan government would relax visa policies for Sikh pilgrims.
Another foreign Sikh spokesman Sardar Gur Charan Singh said that following the teachings of Baba Nanak sahib the Muslims and Sikhs of the Subcontinent should jointly promote peace. He said that over 4,000 Sikh pilgrims from India and around 1,000 from European and North American countries have participated in their religious festivities.
He thanked the Pakistan government for the warm welcome that greeted their arrival at Lahore and Nankana Sahib. He also thanked the government for issuing visas to a record number of pilgrims who had been permitted to visit their holy places in other parts of the country.
Dr Zafar Cheema, Dyal Singh Research and Cultural Forum Director, Professor Jasbir Kaur and various other distinguished personalities from the Sikh community also spoke on the occasion and laid stress on the strong Muslim and Sikh friendship. They said Baisakhi was celebrated throughout the world, but its celebrations in Pakistan bears special significance for being the birthplace of founder of the Sikh religion, Baba Guru Nanak, at Nankana Sahib.
Afterwards, a Punjabi singing programme was also arranged for the pilgrims and Pakistani national Sikh Jassi Singh and his group sang Punjabi songs and performed the traditional Bhangra to the loud beats of drums. The drum beats and the thrilling music attracted many of the audience especially the young boys and girls who also started to perform the traditional dance.
Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\16\story_16-4-2007_pg13_1
* Famous Sikh personalities speak about Baisakhi
Staff Report
LAHORE: Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal Sahi said that the provincial government would extend all possible support to Sikh pilgrims in order to strengthen the bond between Sikhs and Muslims. The speaker while addressing a seminar Baisakhi organised by the Dyal Singh Research and Cultural Forum at a local hotel on Sunday said that it was the prime concern of the provincial government to create an ideal environment for minorities.
He said that Pakistan was a country where all holy sites of Sikhs were guarded and respected. He said this was evident in the countryâs history where there has never been a case of a single holy site or religious function being disrupted.
He said that it was the time to promote friendship between the two peoples. Both Sikhs and Muslims should keep their identity intact while promoting the culture that is common among them.
Highlighting the importance of Baisakhi, the speaker said that Baisakhi was among the first harvest festivals in the world, and it belonged to all of Punjab.
Sardar Surjeet Singh Sodi from Canada said that the Sikh community must follow the footprints of Baba Guru Nank sahib, particularly in the path of friendship between Muslims and Sikhs, of which his lessons are numerous.
He said that Pakistanâs government was respectful of the Sikh community and the money spent to keep their holy places intact was a matter of pride for them. He said these measures would be remembered as a token of love. He said that they were thankful to the government of Pakistan for working on a proposal to allow Pakistani Sikh community to get married under Sikh Marriage Act and hoped that the Pakistan government would relax visa policies for Sikh pilgrims.
Another foreign Sikh spokesman Sardar Gur Charan Singh said that following the teachings of Baba Nanak sahib the Muslims and Sikhs of the Subcontinent should jointly promote peace. He said that over 4,000 Sikh pilgrims from India and around 1,000 from European and North American countries have participated in their religious festivities.
He thanked the Pakistan government for the warm welcome that greeted their arrival at Lahore and Nankana Sahib. He also thanked the government for issuing visas to a record number of pilgrims who had been permitted to visit their holy places in other parts of the country.
Dr Zafar Cheema, Dyal Singh Research and Cultural Forum Director, Professor Jasbir Kaur and various other distinguished personalities from the Sikh community also spoke on the occasion and laid stress on the strong Muslim and Sikh friendship. They said Baisakhi was celebrated throughout the world, but its celebrations in Pakistan bears special significance for being the birthplace of founder of the Sikh religion, Baba Guru Nanak, at Nankana Sahib.
Afterwards, a Punjabi singing programme was also arranged for the pilgrims and Pakistani national Sikh Jassi Singh and his group sang Punjabi songs and performed the traditional Bhangra to the loud beats of drums. The drum beats and the thrilling music attracted many of the audience especially the young boys and girls who also started to perform the traditional dance.
Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\16\story_16-4-2007_pg13_1
