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The Patiala Foundation has raised concerns over the protection and preservation of Sikh, Hindu and other minority religious heritage sites in Pakistan during the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Speaking during the General Debate under Agenda Item 4 on Tuesday, Patiala Foundation Founder and CEO Ravee Singh Ahluwalia called for greater protection of minority places of worship and heritage sites, saying their preservation was closely linked to the rights of communities to maintain their faith, identity and cultural traditions. Sikh, Hindu, Christian and other minority heritage sites are not merely physical structures. They are living spaces of faith, memory, identity and community continuity, Ahluwalia said. He said the protection of such sites was inseparable from the right of communities to practise, preserve and transmit their faith and culture with dignity. During his intervention, Ahluwalia referred to concerns over the condition of minority religious sites in Pakistan and cited publicly reported findings presented before Pakistans Parliamentary Committee on the Minority Caucus, according to which only 37 of around 1,800 Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras were reported to remain functional. The Foundation also drew attention to reported cases involving attacks on places of worship, forced conversion and the vulnerability of religious minorities. It referred to concerns documented by international bodies, including the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and UN human rights experts. Ahluwalia also highlighted the reported demolition in July 2026 of the 125-year-old Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad near Lahore, and called for greater accountability in the preservation and management of minority religious heritage. Through our intervention at the United Nations Human Rights Council, Patiala Foundation has called for constructive engagement, credible accountability and meaningful protection of minority communities and their sacred heritage, he said. The Foundation urged the Human Rights Council to encourage Pakistan to strengthen oversight of minority religious properties, investigate reported cases of demolition, encroachment and desecration, restore damaged heritage sites in consultation with affected communities, and ensure the participation of Sikh, Hindu and other minority communities in the stewardship of their sacred places. (ANI)
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