20th Anniversary of British Sikhs Parliamentary Group Celebrated in London

Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs / President of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Ramesh Singh Arora, attends as International Guest

Lahore, July 2, 2025: Ali Imran Chattha

Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs of Punjab and President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC), Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, participated as the international guest at the 20th anniversary celebration of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Sikhs held at the UK Parliament in London.

The event also marked the formal launch of the “UK Gurdwara Alliance,” a landmark organization representing over 200 Gurdwaras across the United Kingdom. The Alliance aims to strengthen engagement between government institutions and grassroots Sikh communities and promote religious harmony.

In his address, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora congratulated the APPG and the newly launched Alliance and highlighted the strong commitment of Pakistan to religious freedom. Citing the historic speech of Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, delivered on August 11, 1947, he reminded the audience: "You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your Mosques or to any other places of worship."

He stated that Pakistan guarantees full religious freedom to all faiths, and the Sikh community in Pakistan has always been treated with respect and equality. He informed the audience that Pakistan has introduced a modern visa regime under which citizens of 126 countries, including the UK, USA, and Canada, can apply online.

He particularly mentioned the Kartarpur Corridor, which allows up to 5,000 Sikh pilgrims per day to visit the holy shrine visa-free. However, he expressed concern over the restrictions placed by the Indian government, which have hindered religious tourism and interfaith harmony. He appealed to the Indian government to fully reopen the corridor in the spirit of peace and mutual respect.

Sardar Arora shared that Pakistan is the first country to legally recognize Sikh marriages through the Sikh Marriage Act, giving legal status and protection to Sikh matrimonial rights. He praised Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, for launching the CM Minority Card program, benefiting 75,000 minority families, and for initiating inclusive e-learning and skills development programs for religious minorities.

He also disclosed that special funds have been allocated to restore 40 historical Gurdwaras that had remained non-functional since 1947. Out of these, 15 to 20 are expected to be made operational during the current fiscal year.

Ramesh Singh Arora reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with the global Sikh community. “Pakistan is the custodian of Sikhism’s holiest shrines, and we are fully committed to facilitating Sikh pilgrims with respect and dignity,” he said.

The event was attended by several distinguished dignitaries, including APPG Chair Jas Athwal MP, former chairs Preet Kaur Gill MP, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP, Lord Wajid Khan, Lord Watson of Wyre Forest, Bhai Jatinder Singh (President, Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick), Bhai Gurpreet Singh Anand (President, Central Gurdwara London), and Dabinderjit Singh OBE of the Sikh Federation UK.