A 200-year-old gurudwara in Balochistan resumes prayers after seven decades

Pakistan has returned a 200-year-old Sikh religious centre after restoration to the community it originally belonged to. The gurudwara earlier served as a school for Muslim girls for nearly 70 years. But now, the school has been returned to the Sikh community in Quetta.

According to the authorities, the Siri Guru Singh Gurdwara set on Masjid Road in Quetta is now being used for prayers and religious ceremonies. It is nearly seven decades later that Sikhs are able to pray at the premises, which remained empty after the partition. Most Sikhs had left the region and moved to India. The government started running a school for girls in the temple building, which was functional till date. Later, Sikhs living in the region won the property back in a legal battle and now the whole community in Quetta is elated and happy. On July 23, 2020, the community arranged for a prayer at Gurudawara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, after a mammoth gap of 73 years.
Jasbir Singh, a local leader for the community, said, "Thankfully, the education department didn’t demolish the gurdwara building or cause any damage. We are happy that the gurdwara building is safe. Sikhs have been longing for a gurdwara in Quetta for long.”

According to gurudwara’s spokesperson, they couldn’t have the temple earlier due to the long legal battle between the community and local government. The girls studying inside the building were relocated to a nearby school after the gurudwara was returned to the community people.
Singh also said that they hope the government of Balochistan will now focus on opening the other closed shrines in the region.