Pakistan takes military officers from 45 countries to historical Sikh temple

A National Defense University-led delegation of senior military officers from forty-five friendly countries, led by Air Vice Marshal Syed Sabahat Hassan Shah, on Saturday visited Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassanabdal, reported Radio Pakistan.

Deputy Secretary Shrines Evacuee Trust Property Board, Imran Gondal, briefed the delegation about history and importance of Gurdwara Panja Sahib for the Sikh community in the country.

The foreign military officials lauded efforts of Pakistani government for better upkeep and preservation of religious places of different religions in the country.

Pakistan had in November last year inaugurated the Kartarpur Corridor, a border corridor between Pakistan and India, connecting the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

A large number of Indian Sikhs had made historic pilgrimage the day of the inauguration, travelling visa-free, to one of their religion's holiest sites under a landmark deal between the two countries.

Last year, a leading British-Sikh philanthropist had also announced to commit £500 million for the Gurdwaras in Pakistan as a positive response to Pakistan's move to establish the Kartarpur Corridor.

The businessperson had announced that his own charitable organisation, the Peter Virdee Foundation, would join hands with other Sikh groups to inject £500 million into hundreds of Pakistani Gurdwaras for renovation and modernisation.