In shocking news, centuries-old ‘Guru Nanak palace’ was partially destroyed by a group of vandals who did with a purpose to sell its valuable windows and doors in Pakistan’s Punjab province, according to a media report released on Monday.
It has been learnt that the walls of the four-storey building had images of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak including various Hindu rulers and princes, Dawn News reported.
The “Palace of Baba Guru Nanak” which is believed to have been built over four centuries ago, was frequently visited by Sikhs from all across the world including India, the report added.
The epic structure at a village in Narowal city located about 100 kms from the provincial capital Lahore had like 16 rooms with each of them having three delicate doors and four ventilators, the report said.
The group of vandals not only partially ruined the structure allegedly with the secret collaboration of AUQAF department officials but also sold its precious windows, doors and ventilators, the report said.
The structure comprised old bricks, sand, clay and limestone etc. The rooms were deftly built with large broad walls with cupboards in them that had expensive wooden doors with flowers carved on them.
What was more shocking was that the police in the country didn’t arrest the wrongdoers and people in the respective area requested PM Imran Khan to take stringent action against those responsible.
Even the authorities seem clueless about its ‘owner’. A local resident Muhammad Aslam added: “This old building is called the Palace of Baba Guru Nanak and we have named it Mahalan. A number of Sikhs from across the world, including India, used to visit this building”.
Once a six-member delegation, including a woman carrying a book with information about the historical building, had come from Canada. The delegation was elated upon visiting the site as if they had found a treasure, he said.
“The AUQAF department was informed about the demolition of the building by some influential persons, but no officer or official took any action or even reached here.
“Three storeys of the building have already been demolished and new houses constructed. The influentials have demolished the building with the connivance of the auqaf department and sold its costly windows, doors, ventilators and wood,” another local Muhammad Ashraf said.