Historic Gurdwara Chhatti Patshahi in Lahore hosts Sikh prayers for the first time since 1947 as Pakistan announces broader efforts to restore religious heritage sites.
LAHORE: A historic Sikh place of worship in Lahore has reopened to the Sikh community after remaining inaccessible for 77 years, marking a significant milestone in the preservation of Pakistan’s religious heritage and minority rights.
Gurdwara Chhatti Patshahi, located in Lahore’s Chung Amarsidhu area, welcomed Sikh worshippers for the first time since the Partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. According to the Sikh Sewa Welfare Society Pakistan, the shrine had remained under the occupation of local residents for decades before being restored through a coordinated six-month effort involving the local administration, police, and the Evacuee Trust Property Board.
Members of the Sikh community gathered at the historic site on July 5 to commemorate the gurdwara’s 407th anniversary and perform religious prayers. Organisers described the ceremony as the first formal Sikh religious gathering held at the shrine since Pakistan’s creation.
According to Sikh tradition, Guru Hargobind Sahib, the sixth Sikh Guru, visited the site in 1619. The gurdwara was later constructed during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and underwent expansion and restoration in 1922 under the supervision of renowned philanthropist Sir Ganga Ram.
Dr. Gulab Singh, a leader of the Sikh Sewa Welfare Society Pakistan, called the reopening a deeply emotional and historic moment for the Sikh community. He expressed gratitude to the Punjab government, district administration, law enforcement agencies, the Evacuee Trust Property Board, and Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora for their role in restoring access to the shrine.
Ramesh Singh Arora announced that the Punjab government would fully restore and preserve Gurdwara Chhatti Patshahi to safeguard its religious and historical significance. He also revealed that restoration efforts are underway to reopen 50 additional gurdwaras across Pakistan, reflecting ongoing initiatives to preserve the country’s diverse cultural and religious heritage.
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