:dateline:Sikh community of Karachi has remained deprived of performing worship at Gurdwara Arambagh which has remained sealed since 1993 due to orders of a local court.� The Gurdwara was opened briefly for 6 months, however later again put on complete closer in 2005.
The Gurdwara was initially sealed on the complaint of land grabbers who wanted to take possession of the land there.� A private entity was registered by local land mafia who filed a civil lawsuit against the Sikh Community to get the Gurdwara sealed.� Later, this entity filed an affidavit seeking control of Gurdwara�s management, however their claim was rejected in a long legal battle that ended in 2004.� Despite court�s decision to not favour the private entity, the Gurdwara has remained sealed.
�The non- Sikh group (private entity) filed Constitutional petition in Sindh High Court of Karachi in 2005 where it was also dismissed by the Divisional Bench.� In 2006, they filed civil appeal in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, which was also dismissed,� said S. Hira Singh from Karachi.
�When our Gurdwara sahib was sealed and its possession was taken from the Sikh Community, the courts refused to honour the claim of the non-Sikh group.� Hence, the Gurdwara now must be restored to the Sikh Community from whom it was taken.�
�We are looking for legal consultation and a senior Advocate of Karachi/Lahore to help the Sikh Community seek control of the Gurdwara,� he said.
Gurudwara Arambagh is located at Roopchand Balaram Road, Preedy, Karachi in Pakistan. �There are about 2,500 Sikhs in Karachi and the Gurdwara was used by over 200 on regular basis to perform worship.
