29/08/2026
INDIAN EXPRESS REPORT ON DEMOLITION OF GURDWARA BUILDING IN QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN
The Sikh community in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has alleged that a gurdwara building in Quetta city, which housed a school, was allegedly razed to give way for a shopping mall. Minority groups in Quetta, along with local civil society, have protested the move and alleged that the step was taken without informing them.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) of Pakistan is the guardian of gurdwara, temple and other properties left behind by Hindus and Sikhs who migrated to India during the partition.
The Jathedar of the local Sikh community in Quetta, Jasbir Singh, spoke to The Indian Express over the phone. He said that the building of Gurdwara Sri Singh Sabha on Archer Road was “demolished and handed over to a private company for establishing a shopping plaza”. Jasbir is also the chairman of Balochistan Sikh Council.
Pakistan’s minister for Minorities Affairs, (West) Punjab Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora told The Indian Express, “The ETPB is the caretaker of all the properties left behind by migrants during partition… but according to my information, the property belonged to a Sikh man, not a gurdwara.” Arora is also the president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC).
Jasbir, however, said, “We have the documents showing that the property belongs to the gurdwara.”
ETPB chairman Qamar Uz Zaman was not available for comment despite repeated calls and messages
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