LAHORE: Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) had a case registered against its former chief Sardar Mastan Singh, and his 20 to 25 Sikh accomplices under blasphemy and other charges for allegedly being involved in desecrating temple, condemning creation of the State and advocating abolition of its sovereignty etc. on the eve of main ceremony to mark the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak in Nankana Sahib district.

Police have also arrested Mastan Singh besides initiating a search operation in the area to capture his accomplices under FIR No 900/15 registered on the application of Sardar Sham Singh — the sitting Paradhan (chairman) of the PSGPC — a body dealing with affairs of Sikh pilgrims arrival to Pakistan in collaboration with the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

According to FIR registered under section 295, 123-A, 440, 506, 186 and 147 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), there was a main ceremony on the eve of the 547th birth anniversary of Baba Gurunanak on Nov 25 and State Minister for Religious Affairs Pir Hasnat Shah was the chief guest. “While I was taking the chief guest to ceremony after receiving him, Sardar Mastan Shah and his 20-25 companions carrying swords, broke main gate of the Janam-Asthan in the Gurdawara Gurunanak Sahib and started raising hate slogans against the State. They later attacked the PSGPC office and broke its windows, door and glasses besides assaulting the security and other officials on duty with clubs,” the FIR reads. They also snatched mike from the stage secretary and abused the PSGPC members, officials and others in the presence of a number of Sikh pilgrims. The suspects, as per FIR, addressed the participants saying that the Pakistan government wanted to limit the Palki Sahib procession to the premises of the Gurdawara on the pretext of security concerns.

“A government which cannot provide security to 20,000 people, how can it provide security to a population of 200 million people. We will take the rally to Gurdawara Kiara Sahib and if some bad thing happened to us, the government would be responsible,” the FIR quotes Mastan Singh as having said.

Later, the suspects forcibly took the rally to Gurdawar Kiara Sahib by chanting slogans against the PSGPC.

The FIR mentions complainant Sardar Sham Singh as saying, “The suspects put life of many Sikh pilgrims at risk, ignoring threat alerts from the security agencies. I stopped my committee members from offering any resistance. He chanted slogans against the State and defamed it in front of Sikh pilgrims. The suspects has not only desecrated gurdwaras/temples but also damaged integrity of the State of Pakistan,” the FIR quotes complainant Sardar Sham Singh as having said.

When contacted, ETPB Chairman Siddiqul Farooq said the case was registered after several members of the PSGPC threatened to resign, demanding stern action.

To a question, he said the ETPB was not a party to the case, as it was the exclusive decision of the PSGPC.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2015