After Historic Gurdwara Demolition, India Flags Pakistan's 'Double Game' On Sikh Rights

Last Updated:July 02, 2026, 13:01 IST

Sources linked the issue to ISI's long-standing strategy of supporting Khalistani elements to fuel separatist narratives in India's Punjab.

The demolition of a 125-year-old historic Sikh shrine in Pakistan has once again brought the spotlight on the condition of minority religious sites in the country, even as Indian government sources argue that Islamabad continues to exploit Sikh grievances abroad through information campaigns linked to the Khalistan movement.

The latest flashpoint is the demolition of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, near Lahore, on June 24. The shrine, associated with the historic Singh Sabha Movement, was allegedly razed by local miscreants without official approval. Members of the local Sikh community protested immediately, preventing further destruction.

India Calls Demolition A ‘Targeted Act of Vandalism’

Responding to media reports, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the incident. “We have seen the deeply distressing reports regarding the demolition of the historic 125-year-old sacred Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, Pakistan," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Calling it a “highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism against a revered Sikh shrine," the government also expressed concern over what it described as the lack of meaningful action by local authorities and Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).

India urged Pakistan to “expeditiously investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators of this despicable act to justice." It also called for the damaged portions of the gurdwara to be restored at the earliest and asked Islamabad to ensure “the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities and their places of worship."

The MEA further noted that the incident was “unfortunately not an isolated incident," adding that “the systemic targeting of religious minorities and their places of worship in Pakistan continues unabated."

Govt Sources Link ISI To Khalistan Propaganda Strategy

According to top Indian government sources, the demolition reflects Pakistan’s continuing domestic challenges in protecting religious minorities, a reality they say stands in contrast to its efforts to project itself internationally as a champion of Sikh causes.

Sources also linked the issue to what they described as the Inter-Services Intelligence’s (ISI) long-standing strategy of supporting Khalistani elements to fuel separatist narratives in India’s Punjab.

According to Indian intelligence assessments cited by government sources, the ISI has for years provided refuge, funding, training and logistical support to Khalistani operatives, often coordinating with Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba. Officials say the support extends beyond physical infrastructure to social media campaigns, diaspora outreach and cross-border operations involving drones used to smuggle drugs and weapons into India.

The objective, according to the sources, is to exploit Sikh grievances and narratives abroad to create a selective emotional appeal while fuelling separatism in Punjab, even as Pakistan faces criticism over the condition of Sikh heritage within its own borders.

Pattern Of Attacks On Sikh Shrines Raises Fresh Concerns

The Farooqabad demolition is only the latest in a series of incidents involving Sikh religious sites and members of the Sikh community in Pakistan.

Earlier this year, Gurdwara Chobacha Sahib in Dharampura, associated with the Sixth Sikh Guru, was reportedly demolished without any meaningful intervention by the ETPB despite protests from the Sikh community.

In June 2026, an elderly Sikh couple – Jagannath and his wife Asma Wanti, caretakers of a gurdwara in Mardan district’s Babu Mohalla area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – were shot dead inside the shrine by unidentified gunmen, triggering fresh concerns over the security of Pakistan’s Sikh community.

The historic Gurdwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, has also witnessed repeated tensions over the years. In one widely reported incident in 2020, an angry mob hurled stones at the shrine and threatened to destroy it. Sikh organisations say communal tensions around the holy site have resurfaced on multiple occasions since then.

Beyond attacks on places of worship, several Sikh traders and shopkeepers, particularly in Peshawar and surrounding areas, have been killed in religiously motivated attacks over the years, further highlighting concerns over the safety of the minority community.

Hundreds Of Historic Sikh Sites Face Neglect, Encroachment

The latest incident has also renewed attention on the broader state of Sikh religious heritage in Pakistan.

According to reports cited by Sikh organisations, Pakistan has around 345 historical Sikh shrines, many of which are non-functional or in poor condition. Rights groups have repeatedly alleged that hundreds of these sites face neglect, illegal occupation by land mafias, encroachment or partial demolition because of inadequate maintenance and protection by authorities, including the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

Sikh organisations have for years urged Pakistani authorities to preserve these heritage sites, warning that continued inaction risks the loss of important religious and historical landmarks.

For Indian officials, the latest demolition underscores what they describe as a contradiction in Pakistan’s approach: while its security establishment allegedly amplifies Sikh grievances overseas to advance separatist narratives, Sikh shrines and minority communities within Pakistan continue to face vandalism, violence and neglect.

About the Author

Manoj Gupta

Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

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