PESHAWAR, Pakistan—A Gurdwara in Jogiwada area of Peshawar (Pakistan) was reopened after 73 years on April 27. Gurdwara Sahib is believed to be over 300 years old. It was closed down in 1940 as most of the Sikh families living in the area had to relocate. Local Sikhs of Jogiwada had been struggling legally for reopening the Gurdwara since 2012.
Peshawar area where the Gurdwara is situated is Taliban dominated. Taliban has strict policies towards the minorities, and is staunchly against religious places of non-Muslims.
Sardar Gurpal Singh, a prominent Sikh living in the area told Sikh24 that the security of the visiting devotees is necessary as the Gurdwara will be on target of Taliban and other terrorist organizations in the area. He informed that currently a Police cop has been deployed outside Gurdwara Sahib.
A book-seller adjacent to the Gurdwara premises said that the locals have been in fear of a terrorist attack ever since the Gurdwara reopened. He said that a girls’ school falls in the neighbourhood of the Gurdwara Sahib, so if any mishappening occurs, it could lead to huge damage of lives.
According to CIA reports, minorities form 3.6 % of total population of Pakistan. Sikhs are often targeted by the terrorist organizations such as Taliban for obtaining ransoms.
Since the Gurdwara was uninhabited for over six decades, its walls and inner dome have been damaged following several earthquakes. But the main building built in 1708 has survived.
