Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das Ji to Be Expanded on Guru Ji’s Birth Anniversary
ETPB announces expansion to improve facilities for Sikh pilgrims; devotees from India and around the world invited to Pakistan
LAHORE (Nazrana Times) Ali Imran Chattha 

The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has announced plans to expand Gurdwara Janam Asthan Guru Ram Das Ji in Chuna Mandi, Lahore, to provide better facilities for Sikh pilgrims and facilitate religious ceremonies.
ETPB Secretary Nasir Mushtaq made the announcement during a ceremony marking the birth anniversary of Guru Ram Das Ji. He invited Sikh pilgrims from India and around the world to visit Pakistan and participate in the celebrations, assuring them that the board was committed to providing hospitality and necessary facilities.
Organised under the auspices of the ETPB, the ceremony was attended by Sikh pilgrims from various parts of Pakistan and devotees from the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. Nasir Mushtaq attended as the chief guest. Satwant Kaur, Secretary General of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Sardar Tara Singh, Dr. Mampal Singh and other Sikh leaders were also present.
The programme featured devotional kirtan, while speakers discussed the life, history and teachings of Guru Ram Das Ji.
Addressing the gathering, Nasir Mushtaq said Guru Ram Das Ji’s teachings conveyed the values of love, peace, brotherhood, equality and selfless service to humanity. He explained that the expansion aimed to provide Sikh pilgrims with more space and improved facilities to perform religious rituals comfortably and with devotion.

As part of the project, an adjoining commercial plot measuring approximately 13 marlas will be incorporated into the gurdwara premises, creating additional space for worship and other religious activities.
Nasir Mushtaq said that, following the instructions of ETPB Chairman Qamar-ul-Zaman, the board was giving special attention to the maintenance, protection and development of Sikh religious sites. He added that gurdwaras and other religious places in Pakistan formed an important part of the country’s religious and cultural heritage.
He further stated that free accommodation, langar and medical facilities were being provided to Sikh pilgrims under the chairman’s instructions. Special security arrangements had also been made to ensure their safety.
Members of the Sikh community welcomed the expansion announcement and expressed their happiness over the initiative. Representatives of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and other Sikh leaders thanked the ETPB chairman and secretary for the step.