Ahead of the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor, a 4.7-kilometre road connecting the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in India, and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Pakistan, the Pakistan government has issued a commemorative coin to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Baba Nanak Sahib Ji nu Samarpat Rs.50 da Coin Jaari🇵🇰,
— Babar Jalandhari ਬਾਬਰ ਜਲੰਧਰੀ (@BabarJalandhari) October 29, 2019
Ajj Aukaf Board de Pardhan Dr. Aamir Sahib di Sarbrahi wich Pakistan Sikh Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee di Team Pakistan Mint Lahore gai ty Pakistan Mint di Team ny Coin Sangat de hand over Keeta#PunjabiParhao #Punjab pic.twitter.com/9CdGTv5OD3
This comes a week after India and Pakistan signed an agreement to open the Kartarpur Corridor for Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib.
Images of the coin soon went viral on social media, with the Twitterati responding with mixed reactions.
While most people appreciated the move and speculated about ways to get the coin, a segment of netizens raised questions about the security of minority communities in Pakistan. There were also speculations about whether Pakistan will be issuing additional coins commemorating other Sikh gurus like Guru Teg Bahadur and Guru Arjan Dev, who were killed by Mughal emperors.
Hoping to see sone coins issued in the name of
— EternalSeeker (@TweetStreet247) October 30, 2019
Guru Tegh Bahadur , second #Sikh guru to be . beheaded by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh guru, killed by the banks of the river Ravi, facing the Lahore fort, on the orders of Jahangir.
What does it say on the back in Urdu ?
— Ashok Singh Garcha (@AshokSGarcha) October 29, 2019
I want one. Where + how can I get hold of one?
— RAZI (@Rhazes_) October 29, 2019
Don't just mint coins....Protect the minority sects in pak. otherwise nothing you do is of relevance.
— Malini Venugopal🇮🇳 (@MaliniAzif) October 30, 2019
Extremely rich, coming from a country that idolizes mughal kings Jahangir & Aurangzeb who gave painful deaths to the heirs of Guru Nanak’s ideology. Guru Arjan dev, burnt to death and Guru Teg Bahadur, beheaded. Let that sink in. You can either love mughals or gurus. Take a pick.
— ll mohan ll (@SamOneCool) October 30, 2019
If we were that much sympathetic towards Sikhs earlier, there wouldn't be any partition of Punjab
— Kashif Ali (@IMKashifAli) October 29, 2019
Great !
— PANKAJ KAUSHAL (@pkaushal_99) October 29, 2019
I am equally astonished and confused for Why were Sikhs kicked out in 1947 at first place?
So much of graciousness shown now, Why ?
Which Sikh would have forget "Thoha Khalsa" (whosoever doesn't know, must google it)?
मेरी समझ से बिलकुल परे है ...
#Pakistan mint has issued a special coin to mark Guru Nanak Devji’s 550th birthday.
— Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) October 29, 2019
(thanks to @BabarJalandhari for pics) pic.twitter.com/yGrmeyu2f9
Sikhs are a minority in Pakistan but have many cultural, political and historical ties to the country. Pakistan's Kartarpur, which means 'place of God' holds significance for Sikhs as it was established by the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak and here, people, irrespective of their religion or caste, live together.
After his travels for about 20 years, Guru Nanak settled in Kartarpur with his family and stayed there. At the location Guru Nanak is believed to have died, the Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib was built.
Despite all the promises of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government to protect minorities, incidents of the mistreatment of Sikhs and other minorities have come to the fore. Several instances were reported where Sikh girls were abducted and married off to Muslims.
However, just last week Pakistan Prime Minister Khan laid the foundation stone for a university named after Guru Nanak in Nankana Sahib district of northeastern Punjab province, located some 75 km (46 miles) of the provincial capital city of Lahore.
