This story is from December 14, 2014

Sham Singh re-elected Pakistan gurdwara body chief

Sham Singh has been reelected as the president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), a body working under Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) entrusted with the task of management of evacuee properties of Sikhs and Hindus who moved to India after the Partition.
Sham Singh re-elected Pakistan gurdwara body chief
AMRITSAR: Sham Singh has been reelected as the president of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), a body working under Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) entrusted with the task of management of evacuee properties of Sikhs and Hindus who moved to India after the Partition. ETPB was earlier headed by Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) chairman Javed Nasir.

Talking to TOI on Saturday, ETPB chairman Siddique-ul-Farooq confirmed the ‘elections’ of PSGPC and appointment of Sham as its chief. Sources said Sham was appointed deliberately as the head of PSGPC as he was not only an old and trusted Sikh leader of the Pakistan government officials, but was also suited to their policies.
However, when asked, Farooq said, “A proper electoral system was adopted for the polls.” He also added that the Indian high commissioner, T C A Raghvan, had visited Nankana Sahib on Saturday and showed keen interest in development of gurdwaras in Pakistan.
Farooq expressed hope that after PSGPC elections, a major plan for the development of gurdwaras in Pakistan and restoration of Sikh architecture would be carried out. Earlier, ETPB had constituted an 11-member committee of PSGPC to run its daily affairs. Other Sikh leaders of Pakistan, who were running for the top seat included PSGPC’s former president Bishan Singh and chairman of Punjabi Sikh Sangat Gopal Singh Chawla.
Sham had been president of PSGPC for two terms. Notably, before the formation of PSGPC on April 11, 1999, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee used to manage few gurdwaras in Pakistan, which were opened to Indian devotees for visit. However, after the formation of PSGPC, the then president of SGPC Jagir Kaur had stopped sending jathas (groups of pilgrims) to Pakistan. However, she had to suc cumb to the pressure of devotees and resumed sending jathas to Pakistan.
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