New Delhi: The Sikh community around the world have condemned Pakistan for removing the statue of great Sikh general Hari Singh Nalwa in Haripur district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Erected in 2017 as a sword wielding horseman on the square Siddique-i-Akbar in Haripur (District named after Hari Singh Nalwa) the statue was allegedly removed by the local authorities. Sikhs say, the incident has hurt their religious beliefs and sentiments.
A new monument carrying the name of Islam's first caliph will be installed at the square, reported the local media house Dawn.
Hari Singh Nalwa, was the most successful commander-in-chief of the Khalsa Army under the ruler of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Historians say that the maximum expansion of the Ranjit Singh empire was done by his general.
Hari Singh Nalwa commanded the Khalsa Army in some very historic wars and came out victorious. Some of the important battles fought under his leadership were Multan, Kashmir, Kasur, Sialkot, Attock, Jamrud and Peshawar, reported news agency ANI, which quotes Pakistan Today.
While erecting the statute the Pakistan government had said that the move was aimed at establishing religious equality and tolerance.
Meanwhile, ThePrint quoting The News International reported that “the statue… became controversial when the chowk was called Ghora Chowk instead of Siddiq-e-Akbar Chowk that annoyed the activists of religious parties who demanded removal of the monument.”
There also reports from the local media saying that the statue of Hari Singh Nalwa will be re-installed on the GT Road.
To mark the bravery of commander-in-chief Hari Singh Nalwa the government of India in 2013 released a stamp featuring his name.