IN the wake of the Partition of the country, Punjab was divided into two parts ? East Punjab came to India and West Punjab went to the newly created Pakistan. Lakhs of Hindus and Sikhs migrated from Pakistan to India, and Muslims from India to Pakistan. The Sikh population in Pakistan was reduced to a microscopic minority ? that too only in the tribal area of Swat. All gurdwaras, including the historical Sikh shrines, were closed.

As per an agreement arrived at between the governments of India and Pakistan, Sikh pilgrims could visit Gurdwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib at Hassan Abdal (Attock district), Gurdwara Dera Sahib at Lahore and Smadh Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Lahore on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, Baisakhi, martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev and death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh every year. (Muslim pilgrims could visit their five shrines in India too).

The SGPC staff, which had been looking after these historical gurdwaras before the Partition, was allowed to be posted at Nankana Sahib, Panja Sahib and Dera Sahib to perform the religious service. After the 1971 Indo-Pak war, the Pakistan Government refused to issue/renew visa to the SGPC staff, including granthis (priests), ragis (devotional singers) and sewadars.

During 1979, when the Janata Party was in power at the Centre, a six-member delegation led by Gurcharan Singh Tohra, SGPC president, visited Pakistan to study the state of affairs of historical gurdwaras in that country. He also met General Zia-ul-Haq, the then President of Pakistan.

Tohra raised the demand that SGPC staff should be posted at the gurdwara as per the practice before 1971. General Zia did not agree, and suggested that Pakistani Sikhs should be imparted necessary training for enforcing maryada (Sikh code of conduct) in the gurdwaras. He said he was prepared to send Pakistani Sikhs to India for the purpose.

Subsequently, General Zia persuaded about 50 Pakistani Sikhs to shift from Swat to Nankana Sahib. Some of them have been assisting the Waqf Board to run the gurdwara affairs in that country. These families are residing in the complex of Gurdwara Patti Sahib.

The new Sikh generation, and their children 120 in number (70 boys and 50 girls) in the age group of 5-15 have been getting education about gurmat maryada. These children rise early in the morning, take bath and then recite shabad kirtan. After their studies in the school, they learn the Gurmukhi script, and learn Gurbani in the evening from their elders.

These children have been observing almost all historical days such as birth and death anniversaries of the Sikh Gurus, sangrand (beginning of Vikrami month), amavas (a day before new moon) and purnima (full moon). They also participate in religious functions organised by the visiting Sikh pilgrims from India and abroad.

Balwant Singh, a young man who teaches these children, says that these youngsters are very eager to visit the Golden Temple and other historical Sikh shrines in India. Since their parents are small-time shopkeepers or businessmen, they cannot afford the expenses for the pilgrimage. The SGPC and other Sikh organisations should extend all cooperation, including financial assistance.

It is these children who are likely to look after the maryada of Sikh shrines in Pakistan in the coming years.

In the first World War, the British (with British Indian army) troops wanted to attack Mecca, the holiest Muslim shrine. A Sikh (I do not remember his name) who was leading the unit in Saudi Arabia, was ordered by his British supperior to attack the holy shrine. He refused to do so. In military, refusal to obey an order either meant death or a prolonged period behind iron bars. The Sikh knew it and shot and killed his superior. The Sikh was later was put in a jail, not killed. I think he died in some Rajasthan area.