ETPB To Celebrate Mahashivratri On Tuesday Despite Cancellation Of Hindu Jatha

AMRITSAR : After the cancellation of Indian Hindu Jatha visit to Katasraj cluster of temples in Chakwal district of Pakistan on the occasion of Mahashivratri, Pakistan's Evacuee Trust Property Board ETPB ) has decided to celebrate the Hindu festival on its own and have extended invitation to Hindu's of Pakistan to converge at Katasraj for Mahashivratri celebrations on Tuesday.

Deputy secretary, Shrines, ETPB Faraz Abbas told TOI over the phone from Lahore on Monday that ETPB was disappointed over the cancellation of Hindu Jatha. "We are also disappointed that the installation of idols of Hindu deities in Katasraj temples has now been delayed, " said Faraz.Deputy secretary , Shrines, informed that ETPB had got the pond of Katasraj temple filled with water beside he claimed to have carried the various development of Katasraj cluster of temples.In recent past Pakistan's Supreme Court had ordered removal of former Chairman, ETPB, Farooq ul Saddiq for his negligence which led to the drying of the holy pond. "Whatever may have been the reasons for cancellation, the religious rituals should have been continued to be practiced and we are very disappointed after the cancellation of Hindu jatha" he said.

As soon as ETPB came to know about the cancellation of Hindu jatha, a meeting was convened wherein newly appointed Chairman of ETPB Mohmand Aftab suggested to not discontinue with the tradition and extended invitation to Hindu's living in Chakwal, Lahore, Nannkana Sahib and other places to converge in large number at Chakwal for the celebrations of Mahashivratri, informed Faraz.President Kendriya Sanatan Dharam Sabha (North India), Shiv Partap Bajaj informed that the Hindu jatha visit was canceled due to the noncommittal attitude of both the Indian and Pakistani governments.Meanwhile Hindu community leaders in Lahore held a meeting at Sri Krishna Mandir on Monday and expressed concern over the cancellation of Indian Hindu jatha's visit.

Talking to TOI, temple priest Kanshi Ram said "We had made all the required arrangements with the help of ETPB and were waiting for Hindu jatha and idols of Hindu deities which were to be installed at Chakwal ".Notably, ETPB had ordered idols of Hindu deities for their installation in Katasraj cluster of temples which couldn't be sent after the cancellation of Hindu jatha's visit.