Akal Takht acting jathedar seeks protection of Sikh heritage sites in Lahore

Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the officiating Jathedar of Akal Takht, has written to Pakistan's Punjab chief minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif requesting the protection of Sikh historical heritage sites in Lahore's Walled City, specifically Lal Khooh and Kattari Chandu, which are associated with the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev. Both the Times of India and Hindustan Times report that the letter, also copied to Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Ramesh Singh Arora, calls for an immediate inquiry into the status of these sites.

The Jathedar urged the Pakistan Punjab government to stop any ongoing construction at the sites until the inquiry is completed. He recommended that experts from the Walled City of Lahore Authority and archaeology department examine the sites, and that Sikh history experts and PSGPC representatives be included. He also proposed a comprehensive heritage survey of all Sikh-associated sites in the Walled City.

Giani Gargaj clarified the letter was not meant to level allegations but to highlight Lahore's shared heritage. He appreciated the Pakistan government's allocation of funds for gurdwara conservation. The Hindustan Times notes he expressed confidence that the authorities would view the matter from a heritage preservation perspective and urged that any action taken be communicated to the SGPC and Akal Takht.