Sikh businesses commit £500m for renovation of Pakistani Gurdwaras

LONDON: A leading British-Sikh philanthropist has announced to commit £500 million for the Gurdwaras in Pakistan as a positive response to Pakistan's move to establish the Kartarpur Corridor.

A cherry on top of Prime Minister Imran Khan's work in facilitating the Sikhs from all around the world into Pakistan to visit their holiest of sites, Peter Virdee's decision was revealed here at a joint press conference alongside Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Chairperson Zulfi Bukhari.

Virdee and Bukhari — also the State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and a special assistant to PM Khan — were joined by other leading representatives from the Sikh community in Britain at the event organised by the Central Gurdwara (Khalsa Jatha).

In an interview with this correspondent, the businessperson announced that his own charitable organisation, the Peter Virdee Foundation, will be joining hands with other Sikh groups to inject £500 million into hundreds of Pakistani Gurdwaras for renovation and modernisation. This, however, is also expected to boost the local economy.

Virdee also announced to set up a trust under the name of Guru Nanak Ji; it would have representation from Sikh Jathas all over the world.

The Peter Virdee Foundation in conjunction with various other donors (sewadars) recently completed the full renovation and restoration of the Central Gurdwara Khalsa Jatha — the oldest Gurdwara outside of India — from a dilapidated condition.

In December 2017, after a year of work, the foundation reopened the Gurdwara to the Sikh community, having restored it to its original glory.

Speaking to Geo.tv, Virdee said: “Leading Sikh businesses, organisations, and Gurdwaras have discussed this and we have commitment of £500 million at this stage.

"This is only a small drop in the ocean. We will be doing more. This is only a start and we want to tell Pakistani government that [they] have done a great job by opening the Kartarpur Corridor.

"Now, it's for the Sikhs to respond with our love for our holy sites.”

He noted that Sikhs had been denied their wish to visit Kartarpur for over six decades but that now they were overjoyed after the corridor's opening was announced.

Bukhari, on the other hand, added: “We really want the Sikh community in the world to contribute. This is a very special year, the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Sahib and as Pakistanis we want to celebrate it in an elaborate fashion.

"We don’t just want it to be a national event but we want it to be covered globally. I want you to be on board to organise seminars, exhibitions, and conferences around it to build up the hype that this occasion deserves.”

Bukhari thanked the Sikh community for announcing the hefty financial commitment and promised that a number of measures would be taken to facilitate religious tourism to Pakistan.

Bukhari said he would make sure that the religious tourists were given visas immediately. He said he would speak to Pakistan High Commission in London and elsewhere to ensure the establishment of tourism desks in embassies and dedicated staff to facilitate visas for those wishing to participate in Yatras this year.

“Pakistan has not been so open to religious tourism in the past as it is today. Now, we are reaching out to the communities worldwide and asking them to come to Pakistan, to visit their places and see what they can do.

"We will stand shoulder to shoulder and facilitate you in every way. A railway station is being built in the name of Baba Guru Nanak. We are building a special tunnel from Guru Nanak Sahib’s dargah to Gurdwara Janam Asthan and underground railway to another Gurdwara.

"We are building that connectivity so that you don’t face problems when you come for pilgrimage. Free shuttle services will also be provided from all main Gurdwaras.”

The PM's special assistant said Pakistan wanted the Sikh community over the world to contribute.

Among those present at the occasion were First Sikh female MP Preet Kaur Gill MP, member of the Labour Party; Khalid Mahmood MP, Labour lawmaker; Lord Rajinder Paul Looma; Lord Ranbir Singh Suri, Conservative member of the House of Lords born in Rawalpindi Pakistan; Neena Kaur Gill MEP, an influential member of the European Committee on Foreign Affairs; Dabinderjit Singh, Principle Advisor to the Sikh Federation and Senior most Sikh Civil Servant in the UK; Amrik Singh Gill, Chair of the Sikh Federation UK; Retired Justice Anoop Singh Chaudhary; Mandeep Singh Kakar; philanthropist & leading businessman; Manvir Singh Bhogal, board member of the Sikh Network and Assistant Treasurer to the Sikh Council; and Baba Charan Dass, a direct descendent of Guru Nanak Ji's elder son, Sri Chand.