International Sikh leaders trying to highjack credit for Sikh marriage act in Pak

Accusing the international Sikh community, including of India, of trying to highjack their efforts to make the Sikh Marriage Act a reality in Pakistan, Sikh leadership in that country today said the implementing Anand Marriage Act in India is more important and they should focus on that.

By Ravinder Singh Robin

Amritsar, Dec 6 : Accusing the international Sikh community, including of India, of trying to highjack their efforts to make the Sikh Marriage Act a reality in Pakistan, Sikh leadership in that country today said the implementing Anand Marriage Act in India is more important and they should focus on that.

Sham Singh, the former president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC), said that the Sikh leaders in their country had persuaded Islamabad for enacting this act through the president of the Pakistan Evacuee Trust Property Board (PETPB).

However, he said that Indian Sikh leaders were trying to take the credit for the implementation of the Anand Marriage Act in Pakistan for the registration of Sikhs marriages.

His statement comes as Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president Paramjit Singh Sarna left for Pakistan leading a six-member delegation.

Other members of the team are Manjit Singh Calcutta, Gurtej Singh, K.T.S.Tulsi, Manjit Singh Khaira and Harchinder Singh.

The delegation is likely to hold discussion with the Pakistan government for introducing the Sikh Marriage Act.

Meanwhile, the convenor of the America Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (AGPC), Dr. Pritpal Singh, welcomed the Sikh Marriage Act, which is likely to be signed in a short while.

However, he also said that such an act is required more in India, as the population of the Sikh community is higher there.

Pakistan's Law Minister Syed Afzal Haider last month assured the Sikh congregation that his government would enact the "Anand Karaj Act" for the Sikhs living in Pakistan soon.

Haider had said that the Sikh leadership in Pakistan should help him to see the passage of the Act in Parliament.

Bishen Singh, president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee (PSGPC) said that this was a long pending demand of the Sikhs living in Pakistan, as it would remove confusion internationally about Sikhs being seen as Hindus.

ANI