VEHARI, Sept 24: The historical Gurdwara of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, popularly known as Tapasthan Guru Nanak, is a picture of neglect and abandonment thanks to inadequate efforts of the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

Situated at Chak 317/EB on Sahuka-Burewala Road, the gurdwara has some special significance for Sikh followers as Baba Guru Nanak stayed here and also at the shrine of

Haji Sher Chawli Mashaikh. The shrine is not more than half-a-kilometre from the place.

According to historians, the government and the ETPB were bound to protect all worship places of minorities under the Liaquat-Nehru pact.

Burewala Tehsil Nazim Usman Warraich said the Punjab government had allocated Rs3 million for the renovation of the gurdwara building a few months back, but the grant was never released.

At present, three families have occupied the gurdwara building, which is now in a sate of disrepair.

When this correspondent recently visited the historical site in Burewala, occupants of the building refused to allow him to visit the gurdwara. Later, on the interference of some locals, the ‘permission’ was finally granted.

A resident of the same locality gave out that occupant families with the connivance of some local district administration officials were trying to get this land allotted in their names.

Another resident, requesting anonymity, said that valuables, hidden underground, including silver, gold and coins, had been stolen from the gurdwara a few years back.

He said that after the theft incident, the authorities concerned had sealed the internal door of gurdwara.

Some parts of the gurdwara had already been demolished by locals and the families living in it, but the district and tehsil administrations did nothing to protect this historical building.

Muhammad Saleem, an old resident, claimed the ETPB had not spent a penny on the renovation and repair of the gurdwara after the partition despite earning millions of rupees annually.

Gurdwara Pehli Patshahian, the graceful darbar of Sat Guru Nanak Ji, is also in bad repair due to its occupation by three families. Frequent whitewashing has also spoiled valuable scriptures and the artwork.

The Sikh devotees, including former revenue minister Sardar Harnek Singh, Forest Minister Hans Raj Josan and others visited the place and expressed their concern over the dilapidated condition of the place of worship.

ETPB’s Multan zone in-charge Jawed Bashir said that he had recently taken his charge and was not aware of the state of affairs of the gurdwara in Burewala.