Floodwaters wreaked havoc at Kartarpur Sahib, submerging lower portion of the Sikh holy site.
Locals have told WE Punjab that floodwaters entered Gurdwara Sahib on Wednesday early morning.
Gurdwara sahib’s surrounding areas are presenting the scene of a river, Zulfiqar Gilani, a resident of the area said.
Waters may take few to dry, he said, adding it is not the first time such floods have occurred. “Gurdwara Sahib has a history of recurring floods.”
Concerns:
Sikh community around the world has expressed concern, urging the Pakistan government to take necessary steps to protect the holy site. However, some locals say Gurdwara Sahib’s structure is strong and waters could not damage it. But, nothing is certain.
Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib is located on the banks of the River Ravi along the Pakistan-India border in Narowal district of Punjab, Pakistan. The holy site is the resting place of the founder of the Sikh faith. First Guru of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent the last 18 years of his life there in the 16th century.
The governments of Pakistan and India inaugurated the visa-free Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims from India in November 2019. The then Pakistan Prime Minister and now incarcerated Imran Khan and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had addressed the separate inauguration ceremonies at Kartarpur and at Indian border respectively. The corridor has alternately opened and closed due to tense relations between Islamabad and Delhi during last five years.
Some reports appeared in section of media stated the lower portion of the Gurdwara Sahib was submerged in water around 3 AM on Wednesday. “Angitha Sahib, Mazar Sahib & Khooh Sahib have gone underwater,” said a journalist on X. He claimed the contact with sevadars (workers at the holy site) has been lost. Rescue operations are currently underway.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has moved thousands of people living near river banks to safer place. The NDMA had issued the high to exceptionally high flood alerts on Tuesday.
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