LAHORE: The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Friday elected its new president and secretary-general, days after the Imran Khan government dissolved the body following India's objection to the presence of Khalistani separatists as part of the Pakistani delegation discussing the Kartarpur Corridor.
The elected members of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) representing all four provinces of the country "unanimously elected Sardar Satwant Singh its Pardhan (president) and Sardar Ameer Singh the secretary-general, a notification issued by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) said.
The ETPB is a statutory body that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs who had migrated to India following the partition. "The 13-member board of the Sikh body elected its new president and secretary general unanimously in a meeting with ETBP chairman Amir Ahmad in the chair in Lahore on Friday. Sardar Satwant Singh belongs to Kyber Pakhtaunkhwa and Sardar Ameer Singh to Punjab provinces," ETPB spokesperson Amir Hashmi told PTI.
The newly elected president said he will work for the betterment of his community. The ETBP chairman congratulated the newly elected office bearers of the Sikh body and assured them of cooperation in resolving the problems of the community and upkeep of the holy places.
Ahmad said various committees have been constituted for the preparation of celebration of the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of Sikh faith, Guru Nanak Dev.
On Sunday, ahead of second round of talks on the Kartarpur Corridor, the Pakistan government dissolved the PSGPC following protest by India over the presence of a pro-Khalistan activist and PSGPC secretary-general Gopal Singh Chawla. With the dissolution of the Sikh body, PSGPC Pardhan (president) Sardar Tara Singh also lost his position.
None of them were included in the new PSGPC board. Chawla's presence with Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Corridor in November last year drew strong criticism from India.