Latest news with #ETPB
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pakistan invites Sikh pilgrims to attend two events in Lahore this month
Pakistan has invited Sikh pilgrims from around the world, including India, to attend two Sikh events in Lahore this month, an official said on Monday, amid tensions between the two countries. 'Death anniversaries of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Jor Mela) and Maharaja Ranjit Singh will be observed on June 16 and 29, respectively, in Lahore,' Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) spokesperson Ghulam Mohayuddin said. 'For both events, Sikh pilgrims from around the world, including India, are invited,' he added. The EPTB is a statutory board that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs who had migrated to India following the partition. According to the schedule the ETPB issued, the main religious ceremony, including the Bhog Akhand Path Sahib ritual, will be held on June 16 at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore. The main ceremony at the samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh will be held on June 29. Last year, over 800 and 450 Sikhs had come to Pakistan to attend the two events, respectively. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7. Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions. The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.
Deccan Herald
3 days ago
- General
- Deccan Herald
Pakistan invites Sikh pilgrims to attend two events in Lahore this month
According to the schedule the ETPB issued, the main religious ceremony, including the Bhog Akhand Path Sahib ritual, will be held on June 16 at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
ETPB announces Sikh pilgrimage schedule despite Pakistan-India tensions
Listen to article The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has announced the schedule for two major Sikh religious events to be held in Pakistan this month, despite ongoing tensions and the continued suspension of cross-border movement between India and Pakistan. According to the official schedule, the death anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Jor Mela) will be commemorated on June 16 at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore. The death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh will be observed on June 29 at his samadhi, also located in Lahore. Sikh pilgrims from around the world, including India, have been invited to attend. However, due to strained diplomatic ties, India is unlikely to issue the required No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for Indian pilgrims to travel to Pakistan, according to sources. Pakistan has expressed its readiness to facilitate cross-border pilgrimage. The ETPB has finalised all necessary arrangements for potential arrivals, including security, accommodation, and transportation across key religious sites. If India grants travel permissions, the first group of pilgrims is expected to arrive on foot via the Wagah Border on Monday, June 9. The group will begin their pilgrimage at Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, and visit local gurdwaras during a two-day stay. The pilgrims will then proceed to Gurdwara Sacha Sauda in Farooqabad, followed by a visit to Hassan Abdal on June 11. They are scheduled to stay at Gurdwara Panja Sahib on June 12 and are expected to visit the nearby shrine of Muslim saint Baba Wali Qandhari. On June 13, the group will travel to Narowal to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, staying until June 14. They will proceed to Lahore via Gurdwara Rori Sahib in Eminabad on June 15. The main religious ceremony for Guru Arjan Dev Ji's martyrdom, including the Bhog Akhand Path Sahib ritual, will be held on June 16 at Gurdwara Dera Sahib. Pilgrims will remain in Lahore on June 17 and return to India via Wagah on June 18. A second group of Indian pilgrims is scheduled to arrive on Sunday, June 22, for the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. They will begin their visit in Nankana Sahib on June 23 before travelling to Hassan Abdal via Farooqabad on June 24. The group will stay at Gurdwara Panja Sahib on June 25, visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur on June 26–27, and travel to Lahore on June 28. The main ceremony at the samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh will take place on June 29, featuring the Bhog Akhand Path Sahib. Pilgrims will spend June 30 in Lahore and depart for India on July 1, 2025. ETPB officials said all arrangements have been made to ensure a secure, comfortable, and spiritually fulfilling experience for pilgrims, contingent on Indian approval for cross-border travel.
News18
21-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Kartarpur's Shadow Network: How ISI Cultivates Spies Like Jyoti Malhotra
Last Updated: Once inside Kartarpur, recruits are invited to private dinners and their photos and videos are clandestinely captured with Pakistani officials—material later used as leverage The Kartarpur Sahib Corridor—hailed as a historic religious initiative—has allegedly become a covert theatre for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to wage a new form of hybrid warfare. Intelligence sources claim that the corridor is being systematically exploited to identify, recruit, and groom Indian citizens, including influencers like Jyoti Malhotra, to act as ideological assets and informants under the veneer of religious outreach. Sources say the management of the Kartarpur Sahib complex is under the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), a body historically linked with ISI operations. The replacement of the Sikh-run Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (PSGPC) with the ETPB has allowed Pakistani intelligence unprecedented access and control over pilgrim activities. Sources allege that the ISI uses this access to monitor and engage with pilgrims during religious congregations—particularly during langars, prayer services, or rest periods. Through hidden cameras, listening devices, and surveillance software embedded in public Wi-Fi stations, Pakistani agents reportedly gather data on attendees' political views, emotional vulnerabilities, and socio-economic struggles. Psychological Manipulation Much like the recruitment tactics used to enlist The Resistance Front (TRF) cadres in Kashmir, ISI targets individuals who exhibit ideological discontent or have emotional baggage—especially those with family separation trauma from Partition. These individuals are often promised humanitarian assistance or financial aid to exploit their loyalty and turn them into assets. Malhotra, with her increasing social influence and a perceived anti-establishment streak, reportedly fit ISI's profile for an 'organic ideological fighter". Her access to influential circles and her YouTube presence made her a high-value target. Pakistani handlers like Ehsan Dar, posing as visa coordinators or cultural liaisons, began engaging Malhotra under the guise of Sikh-Pakistani friendship. She was allegedly introduced to intelligence personnel who offered media support, funding, and a platform to amplify narratives downplaying India-Pakistan tensions and subtly promoting Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. Her grooming reflects ISI's strategic shift from overt espionage to subtle ideological influence—hybrid warfare that mixes propaganda with human intelligence. How Targets Are Chosen ISI is said to maintain databases on Indian citizens, sourced through social media monitoring and cross-border intelligence. Individuals in sensitive occupations—such as defence, journalism, and government service—especially from Punjab and Jammu—are pre-identified. Their posts, friends, financial difficulties, or emotional expressions online are assessed for vulnerability. Once inside Kartarpur, recruits are often invited to private dinners or offered 'assistance." Their photos and videos are clandestinely captured with Pakistani officials—material later used as leverage. Some, like the student Devendra Singh Dhillon, were emotionally manipulated during their visits, later coerced into passing on sensitive information. The Digital Trail of Espionage To communicate, handlers allegedly instruct recruits to use encrypted messaging apps like Telegram or WhatsApp with pseudonyms such as 'Brother Singh" or 'Gurpreet Kaur." These aliases are used to exchange location data, photos of military installations, and intelligence on corridor activities. In 2019, Indian citizen Vipin Singh was arrested for leaking Kartarpur Corridor construction details and Indian Army movements in exchange for Rs 10 lakh. These cases show a pattern of ISI leveraging religion, digital vulnerability, and monetary inducements to develop a network of ideological and strategic operatives. Scrutiny on Sikh Jatha Organisers Indian intelligence agencies are also reportedly scrutinising individuals like Harkirat Singh, a coordinator who arranges Sikh pilgrimages. Some coordinators are suspected of facilitating introductions between vulnerable pilgrims and Pakistani intelligence agents, either knowingly or under coercion. The Kartarpur Corridor was intended as a bridge of peace, allowing Indian Sikhs visa-free access to one of their holiest shrines. But under the surface, evidence suggests it has become a calculated conduit for cross-border psychological operations. First Published: May 21, 2025, 12:17 IST
Express Tribune
13-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Baisakhi festivities in full swing
Celebrations marking the Baisakhi Mela and the 326th Khalsa Birth Anniversary are currently underway under the auspices of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the Federal Ministry for Religious Affairs. The central ceremony of the Baisakhi Mela will take place on Monday (today) at Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib. Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf will be the chief guest. The event will also be attended by Punjab's provincial ministers, President of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, religious leaders, and a large number of Sikh pilgrims.
