ISLAMABAD, Jun 04 (APP):Participants of a symposium highlighted the contributions of
the Sikh communities in promoting global peace, harmony, and prosperity as well as the role of the Government of Pakistan in preservation and maintenance of Sikh holy sites in this part of the South Asian region.
The symposium titled “Sikh contributions to global peace & prosperity and role in the Far East” was organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) here Tuesday.
The experts who gathered at symposium haili
ng from Far East region.
Speaking on the occasion, the Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar highlighted the significance of this region as the birthplace of Sikhism, and the government and the people of Pakistan accorded warm welcome to Sikh people who arrived here in Pakistan for celebrating their religious festivals.
He lauded the contributions of Sikh diaspora to various sectors of economies.
The participants of the symposium highlighted that the spirit of Sikhism was deeply embedded in the values of peace, equality, selfless service, and empowerment of communities to take collective action for promoting peace-loving, service-oriented, and inclusive societies.
The participants highlighted that
the Sikh communities always contributed to global peace and harmony.
The speakers particularly emphasized
the Sikh religious principle of “Seva” (selfless service) as a motivating factor in promotion of harmony among
the Sikh diaspora communities and a culture of serviceto humanity. The speakers talked about various aspects of
the Sikh tradition of selfless service such asfeeding the hungry through the free communal kitchens known as Langars.
The delegates participati
ng from Malaysia, and Australia shared specific services f
rom their countries in which
the Sikh diaspora were actively involved.
They mentioned several interfaith conferences and events they had participated and organized in their countries.
They further shared that
the Sikh communities were also active in the education sector through establi
shment of schools and provision of scholarships.
The participants of the symposium expressed their appreciation for the preservation and upkeep of
the Sikh holy sites in Pakistan.
They maintained that important holy sites like Gurdwara in Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, and Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassanabdal were preserved and maintained by the local Sikh communities with the support of the Government of Pakistan.
The key participants were Prof. Dr Harwindar Singh, Founder, Harvey Gill Associates (Malaysia), Adv. Dato Pretam Singh, Founder, Pretam Singh Nor & Co. (Malaysia), Gurbax Singh Bains, Supreme Sikh Council (Australia), Professor Dr Manjit Singh, Partner, MSSMR(Malaysia), and Adv. Sucha Singh, former President of the Malaysian Gurdwara Council.
