KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday ruled that there would be no restriction on the followers of Baba Guru Nanak to carry out their religious rituals at the allocated premises in the Swaminarayan temple.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, also ordered that the affairs of the Guru Nanak Darbar would be run/regulated by a nine-member managing committee already appointed by the court.

The court said it had been agreed that no special religious functions/gatherings in the Guru Nanak Darbar would be carried out without taking prior permission from the managing committee.

The bench passed these directives while disposing of a petition filed by the Swaminarayan Temple Residents’ Welfare Association against some members of the trust’s managing committee and provincial authorities concerned.

The court was informed that the trust was set up for the purpose of promotion and preaching of the Swaminarayan sect that follows the teachings of its founder Shri Swaminarayan, and facilitate and accommodate its followers known as Satsangis. It was further informed that the trust was set up to manage properties of the Swaminarayan sect located on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi.

The court was informed that in 1994 the SHC had appointed a nine-member committee to manage the Swaminarayan Temple Estate Trust.

However, some members of the managing committee, who were not followers of the Swaminarayan sect, had set up a shrine of Baba Guru Nanak on the premises of the trust property, the trust’s counsel submitted.

Those members of the managing committee were also using the revenue generated from religious functions and events of the Swaminarayan sect, for the promotion of Baba Guru Nanak sect, in an unauthorised manner, the counsel said.

The court was asked to direct the managing committee to strictly comply with the relevant laws, rules and regulations while discharging its duties.

They also sought a direction for the managing committee to remove the structures allegedly raised or erected by the respondents in violation of the relevant laws.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2021