Muslim mob attacks Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, Sikh devotees; India asks Pakistan PM Imran Khan to act against culprits

In a shocking incident, Muslim protesters on Friday desecrated the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, in Pakistan and inflicted violence on the members of the Sikh community. An angry mob had attacked the Gurdwara with stones and also warned the Sikh community. The incident took place allegedly on the opposition by the Sikhs of forcible abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl in the Nankana Sahib city in August 2019.

At 5 pm, around 400 Muslims of Nankana Sahib attacked the gurdwara and the nearby residences of local Sikhs with stones in protest against the lifting of Mohammad Mustafa with whom the girl had agreed to marry. The attack was led by Mohammad Imran Attari, brother Mustafa, who is also a member of Ghulam-e-Mustafa, a Majbi Muslim organization. During the protest, Imran said that the name of Nankana Sahib would be converted into Ghulam-e- Mustafa and only Muslims would live in Nankana. He said, "We will not let any Sikh live in Nankana Sahib and will change its names to Ghulam-e-Mustafa." He named Governor Punjab Mohammad Sarwar and Brig Aizaz for committing atrocities on his family under pressure of Sikhs. The protests were finally called off after local authorities intervened.

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Hours after the reports of this incident, India strongly condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place". India also asked the Pakistan government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the Sikh community and of the Gurdwara. It also asked the Pakistan government to take strong action against the miscreants who indulged in the acts.

"We are concerned at the vandalism carried out at the revered Nankana Sahib Gurdwara today. Members of the minority Sikh community have been subjected to acts of violence in the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji. These reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of Jagjit Kaur, the Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year," said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

"India strongly condemns these wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place. We call upon the Government of Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. Strong action must be taken against the miscreants who indulged in the desecration of the holy Gurudwara and attacked members of the minority Sikh community. In addition, the Government of Pakistan is enjoined to take all measures to protect and preserve the sanctity of the holy Nankana Sahib Gurudwara and its surroundings," added an official release.

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said, "Appeal to Imran Khan to immediately intervene to ensure that the devotees stranded in Gurdwara Nankana Sahib are rescued and the historic Gurdwara is saved from the angry mob surrounding it."

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal also said, "Mob attack on Gurdwara Sri Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev ji, is a despicable act and I urge PM Narendra Modi ji to take it up with Pak PM Imran Khan. We have to ensure the safety of Sikhs in Pakistan and I trust that the govt will address the issue on priority."

In 2019, a Sikh girl, Jagjit Kaur, was married off to her cousin from the Sikh community but ran away from her house to convert and marry Muhammad Hassaan, with whom she previously had a relationship. Hassaan was a member of Jamaat-ud Dawa. The family then filed an FIR and the girl filed for restraint against the possible police action. She also sought government protection and the case continued.

The Punjab governor tried to resolve the matter but was unable to do so. The girl on multiple occasions has refused to go back to her Sikh family out of the fear of being killed. The girl is currently staying Dar ul Aman, Lahore, as per the government orders. The family of Hassaan alleges that the government has been pressurizing him to divorce Jagjit (Ayesha), a move which he refuses to do so. 

The family of Hassaan insist that the girl should decide her own fate if she wants a divorce and wants to go back to her family. The girl has been refusing to go back to the Sikh family and has been maintaining that she would want to go on with Hassaan. This led to the violent protest amidst growing government pressure on the family.