蜜芽传媒

The holiest of holies for Sikhs is Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, India and it鈥檚 also known as the Golden Temple. A hundred miles away in Pakistan is another sacred Sikh site 鈥揘ankana Sahib, where Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith was born

Over the last fortnight, India and Pakistan have claimed that these holy places were targeted by the other side as part of the recent conflict. Pakistan said that Nankana Sahib had been subject to a drone attack by the Indian armed forces. Meanwhile, India said it had prevented Pakistan from firing missiles at the Golden Temple.

Both countries denied the claims of the other, and the sites thankfully emerged unscathed, but the reports sparked widespread concern, confusion, and alarm.

In this age of disinformation, provocative claims, regardless of whether true or not, go viral in a matter of moments. They can inflame situations and stoke further mistrust. And sadly, religion and identity often get caught up in the middle, with faith at times weaponised by foes and allies alike. It's a pattern we see in so many conflicts across the world.

For Sikhs, the fraught relationship between India and Pakistan is especially painful. Punjab is a region twice the size of the UK, and it鈥檚 the birthplace of the Sikh faith. It was split in two during Partition in 1947, and it now lies on either side of that tightly sealed border. Sikh history and identity are tied to both lands. In the 1950s the daily prayer of supplication, the Ardas, was amended to call for a time when Sikhs could openly visit gurdwaras which had been largely closed off to them because of Partition.

One such place is Kartarpur Sahib, in Pakistan, where Guru Nanak died almost five centuries ago. In 2019, the 鈥淜artarpur Corridor鈥� was opened to allow visa-free access for Indian Sikhs to visit and pay their respects there. It was a moment of extraordinary hope. Families and friends divided by the border for almost 80 years were suddenly able to reunite for a few hours a day at this holy site. The Corridor became a literal bridge of peace, cutting through decades of hostility.

Sadly that bridge is now shut 鈥� another casualty of the conflict.

Sikh teachings say that despite worldly divisions, there is oneness in all of creation. Guru Nanak鈥檚 message was one of unity, of truth transcending difference, and of compassion overcoming hatred. In the words of the Fourth Guru, 鈥淭here is only one breath; all are made of the same clay; the light within all is the same鈥�.

In conflicts such as these, it鈥檚 easy to get caught up by emotional responses designed to pit one group against another. But when identities are weaponised, the power of faith to heal divisions and bring people together becomes all the more important.

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