*LAHORE: *Pakistan’s Sikh community have thwarted an Indian intelligenceagency’s conspiracy against Pakistan.
Pakisani Sikhs rejected accusations that Sikhs are forced to bury theirloved ones due to non-availability of crematoriums in the country.
Head of Delhi Gurdwara Committee Manjeet Singh had alleged that nocrematorium existed in Peshawar, and the community was forced to bury theirloved ones in violation of traditional Sikh rituals.
Thousands of Sikhs in Pakistan including the Sikh Gurdwara Par BandhakCommittee, termed these accusations baseless, false and a conspiracy todefame the country. Former president of Sikh Gurdwara ParBandhak CommitteeSardar Bhushan Singh said that there were two crematoriums near AttockRiver for 400 families residing in Peshawar.
Similarly, cremation grounds are present in Buner, Mardan, Swat, Barra,Aurakzai Agency, Kurram Agency and other tribal areas despite thecommunity’s migration to other areas.
According to the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) officials, 50cremation grounds were present in Sindh, two in Lahore, one in NankanaSahib, one has been built in Panja Sahib where the Hindus cremate theirdeceased.
Local Sikh leaders said there were some scheduled caste Hindu familiessettled in Peshawar, who had later adopted the Sikh religion, and it isquite possible that they continued old tradition of burying their lovedones.
Singh has advised the leader of Delhi Gurdwara Committee that instead ofchalking propaganda against Pakistan, he should take action against NarayanDas, a blaspheme, involved in disgracing the Guru Arjan Devji and GuruGranth Sahib.