PM may attend founding of Sikh University at Nankana Sahib - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani will lay the foundation stone of the Baba Guru Nanak International University (BGNIU) next month at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. The ceremony is likely to be attended by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's wife Gurusharan Kaur and Punjab's chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. Talking to Asian News International over phone from Lahore about the ceremony of Baba Guru Nanak International University, Azhar Ehsan, an Advocate and the Executive Director of BGNIU's governing body, said: "The function would be held on April 17 and Mrs. Gursharn Kaur, the wife of Dr. Manmohan Singh and Parkash Singh Badal, chief Minster of Punjab have shown interest to attend the ceremony." The university would be constructed in 2,500 acres of land in Nankana Sahib. More than 15,000 Sikh pilgrims are likely to be visit in the month of April to attend the Baisakhi festival's celebrations in Pakistan. Dr. Pritpal Singh from United States said that the proposed university would have the best architecture, curricula and research center on Sikh and other religion and culture. He said that AGPC would bear all the expenses on establishing the course related to Gurmat Sangeet facility. "We will invite scholars from all over the world to join the university. It will be planned University that to be modeled similar to standards set by the great universities of Oxford and Cambridge and students from all over the world will be offered admission to the University." It is pertinent to mention that none of the members was taken from India in the governing body of the University, neither from the Shri Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the premier body of the Sikhs or from Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC). However, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Parmjit Singh Sarna said: "I am happy that the Pak Prime Minister would be laying the foundation stone ceremony to build the University. It makes no difference to me whether they have not given any representation in the committee to us."