Fearing Indian Criticism, Pakistan Fixes Kartarpur Gurdwara Dome Within 24 Hours

While India asked Pakistan to urgently repair the Kartarpur Gurdwara that was damaged in a storm over the weekend, Islamabad responded by saying the shrine was repaired before the Indian letter reached the country. 

“India has taken up the issue of the collapse of domes of the Gurudwara with Pakistan. It has been highlighted that the damage to the structures in the Gurudwara has caused a great shock to the of the Sikh community,” a person familiar with the developments said.

The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson clarified that the domes damaged on the night of April 17 had already been repaired. FO Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui stated the repair work was completed within 24 hours of the damage.

Referring to the Indian authorities sending a formal letter (note verbale) regarding the matter, the FO spokesperson stated that the domes had already been repaired by the time the letter was received.

The FO added that it was ironical that a country where religious minorities did not feel safe, and where their places of worship were routinely destroyed under the patronage of state machinery, had the temerity to raise the issue of minor damage caused to a religious site elsewhere due to a natural calamity.

“India would be well-advised to take steps to effectively protect its minorities and their places of worship, rather than feigning concerns for the rights of minorities elsewhere,” the FO insisted.

Furthermore, the FO added – “The Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) and the Sikh community have greatly appreciated the efforts for immediate repair of the damaged domes.

“The Sikh community in Pakistan, and all over the world, is appreciative of the Government of Pakistan’s efforts for operationalizing the Kartarpur Corridor. The work on the world’s biggest Gurdwara, the Kartarpur Sahib, was completed in record time by Pakistan last year,” the FO spokesperson further maintained.