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Pakistan: 200-Year-Old Historic Gurdwara In Quetta Demolished For Commercial Project

Vijaya Mishra | August 30, 2026 4:11 PM CST

Once again, news has emerged from Pakistan that deeply hurts the religious sentiments of the Sikh community. The nearly 200-year-old historic Gurdwara Shri Guru Singh Sabha in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, was completely demolished by bulldozers. Most shockingly, the site that once housed the Sikh community's center of faith is now being planned for a shopping mall. This incident has once again raised serious questions about the protection of religious heritage among minorities in Pakistan.

When And How Was This Gurudwara Built?

This Gurdwara is said to be around two hundred years old, meaning it was built during a period when the Sikh community was sizable in Quetta and the surrounding areas. At that time, the Sikh families living there built this Gurdwara to meet their religious needs and serve the Guru Granth Sahib.

Before Partition, Quetta had a significant Sikh population. After Partition, when most Sikh families migrated to India, the responsibility for the maintenance of many such historic buildings fell to Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). This organization oversees the religious and historical properties of the Hindu and Sikh communities in Pakistan.

Land Sold To Build A Shopping Mall?

According to local Sikh representative Sardar Jasbir Singh, reports are circulating that the ETPB has sold the Gurdwara land to a private builder. However, official confirmation and related documents have not yet been released. Now, plans are underway to build a shopping mall on this land, sparking widespread outrage among the local Sikh community, citizens, and heritage conservationists. People say this isn't just a case of demolishing a building, but rather the erasure of centuries-old religious traditions and memories of the Sikh community.

The Court Also Refused To Stop The Construction

The local Sikh community even approached the court regarding this matter. The case reached the Balochistan High Court, but the court also flatly refused to stop the ongoing construction of the commercial mall. This decision has further increased the sense of insecurity among the handful of Sikh families remaining in Pakistan. Balochistan once boasted 12 historic Gurdwaras, but due to administrative negligence and encroachments, only two remain functional.