Muslim head of PMU to take decisions of Sikh religious affairs in Pakistan

Pakistan government has once again appointed a Muslim as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Project Management Unit (PMU) which was formed last year.

Photo courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: Ignoring Sikh religious sentiments, the Pakistan government has once again appointed a Muslim as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Project Management Unit (PMU) which was formed last year to look after the day to day affairs of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib,  Kartarpur Corridor even as the  Pakistan government claims that the PMU is constituted to look after the brass tacks of the corridor.

In the recent past, the Additional Secretary (Administration), Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB)  has appointed Muhammad Latif as the CEO, PMU, Kartarpur Corridor for a period of three years.

While condemning the appointment of a Muslim CEO of PMU President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that Imran Khan government had sent a message to the Sikh micro minority community that all the decisions pertaining to the  Sikh issues would be taken by the majority community. “We are writing to MEA to take up the issue with Pak government to give the management of Kartarpur Corridor to a Sikh,” said he.

India World Forum also raised objections over the appointment of a non-Sikh Person to take care of the Kartarpur project by Pakistan.

Puneet Singh Chandhok, President, India Forum, urged the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the grievances of the Sikhs with Pakistan and impart them with appropriate knowledge and protocols.

In his letter, he apprised the Prime Minister that a person who neither belongs to the Sikh community nor is conversant with the ethos and legacy of Guru Nanak has caused displeasure among the millions of followers of the holy Guru across the globe.

In July, the ETPB had advertised for the appointment of 126 member staff of PMU including the CEO in Pakistan’s leading newspapers. Though ETPB had specifically mentioned that only Pak Sikhs could apply for the posts including Ragi/Kirtani, Granthi’s, Pathi’s and sewadars etc. but it had not mentioned anything for other posts including CEO, deputy secretary, security officer, accountant, assistant secretary, caretaker, security guards, driver, cook, sweeper, gardner etc.

It was in November 2019 when the Economic Coordination Committee of Pakistan’s  Federal Cabinet had approved the establishment of PMU, Kartarpur Corridor-a self-financing body, for the management and maintenance of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib under the administrative control of the ETPB.

In the same month, ETPB appointed a 9 member all Muslim team led by CEO Mohammad Tariq Khan which was objected by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)  

MEA had also summoned the then Pakistan High Commission’s  Chargé d'Affaires and lodged a strong protest against transferring of the management and maintenance of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Sahib.  MEA had also received representations from various Sikh bodies expressing grave concern over the Pak government’s decision of transferring the management of holy Sikh place to a Muslim-led PMU.

The ETPB is an overall body to look after the historical places of worship of Sikhs and Hindus left in Pakistan after Indo Pak partition in 1947 and it is also led by a Muslim Chairman Dr Aamir Ahmad while the Sikh organization PSGPC is the puppetry body functioning under ETPB which was once headed by ISI chief Javed Nasir.