Nankana Sahib (Pakistan), Nov 09: The apex Sikh body Shiromani Gurudwar Prabhandhak Committee has accorded recognition to its Pakistani counterpart in the presence of 500 Sikhs who have gathered here from all across the globe to observe the 534th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. "SGPC is ready to extend all possible help to the PSGPC (Pakistan Gurudwara Parbhandak Committee) for the maintenance and up-lift of Sikh Gurdwaras in Pakistan," Balkar Singh, professor of Punjabi University who had been nominated by the SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra to lead the group of Sikh pilgrims to Nankana Sahib, said.
SGPC member Bibi Kamlesh Kaur, who is also the part of the group said the apex Sikh body had sent one lakh rupees to hand over to PSGPC for the development of Sikh shrines in Pakistan.
The PSGPC co-chairman Sham Singh welcomed the decision. PSGPC was formed in 1999 by the Pakistan government which barred SGPC to interfere in any affairs related to Pakistan based Gurdwara. In protest, the then SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur stopped sending Sikh groups to Pakistan. However, the Pakistani body was accorded recognition by its Indian counterpart only yesterday. Bureau Report