Akal Takht Jathedar seeks protection for Lahore Sikh heritage sites

The officiating Jathedar of the Akal Takht has written to the Chief Minister of Pakistan’s Punjab province seeking protection for Sikh heritage sites in Lahore, according to Indian media reports.

The Times of India and The New Indian Express reported the appeal. The reports said the request came in the form of a letter seeking the provincial government’s intervention to safeguard Sikh religious and historical places in the provincial capital.

No further details were immediately available in either report. The outlets did not publish the text of the letter or identify the specific sites named in it. The New Indian Express specified Lahore as the focus of the appeal, while The Times of India’s headline referred to Sikh heritage sites in the Pakistan Punjab without naming a city.

There was no immediate comment from the Pakistan Punjab government or from the Akal Takht in the reports. The reports also did not say whether the letter was sent through diplomatic channels or directly, nor whether copies were sent to federal authorities in Pakistan or to any Indian government body. Both publications are based in India and their reports carried no comment from Pakistani officials.

The Akal Takht in Amritsar is the highest of the five takhts, or seats of authority, in Sikhism. The Jathedar is its appointed head and issues guidance on matters of Sikh doctrine and community affairs. Lahore has historically been a major centre of Sikh religious and cultural heritage, with several gurdwaras and memorials associated with Sikh history located in the city.

The appeal comes as Sikh pilgrims from India and other countries regularly visit Pakistan to observe religious occasions, including the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak and the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev, at shrines in Punjab and elsewhere. Cross-border access to these sites has often been arranged under bilateral protocols, while upkeep and protection of minority religious heritage remains a sensitive issue in both countries. The letter’s wording and the exact date it was sent were not disclosed.