Pakistan Army encroaches Sharda temple, committee seeks government help for restoration

This Friday, the Save Sharda Committee (SSC) in requested assistance from the Indian government in order to remove the “encroachment by the Pakistan Army” on the grounds of the Sharda temple in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) and make preparations for its restoration.

SSC founder Ravinder Pandita claimed, in response to a court ruling in the committee’s favor, that the Pakistani army had invaded the crumbling grounds of the old Sharda temple and established a coffee shop there. Pandita made these claims during a press conference at the Press Club of Bangalore.

“Save Sharda Committee requests the Government of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue of encroachments and removal of a coffee home recently erected on Sharda Peeth premises by the Pakistan army. This is despite the Supreme Court of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir’s landmark judgment on January 3, 2023 pronounced in favour of Save Sharda Committee based on its representation seeking to stop encroachments,” he said.

He added that civil society in PoK has also raised their voice in tandem with SSC on this issue as well as about the damages to the boundary wall. Pandita demanded that Sharda Peeth be reopened for devotees to go on pilgrimage, according to PTI.

“We will give a call for a march to the LoC and cross it if the coffee home is not removed by Pakistan authorities and its army. All Sharda supporters should be ready for this march in the near future,” he said.

He also demanded that Sharda Peeth should be added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Reporters were informed by the founder of the Sikh Security Council (SSC) that a website has been launched to offer pilgrims and tourists comprehensive details and a travel guide about the recently rebuilt Sharda temple at Teetwal and a Sikh gurudwara that was located there prior to 1947 but was destroyed by tribal raids.

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