DW BUREAU / new delhi India on Monday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan High Commission over reports of attempts being made to convert a famous gurudwara at Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore into a mosque, a spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "A strong protest was lodged with the Pakistan High Commission today on the reported incident whereby Gurdwara 'Shahidi Asthan', site of martyrdom of Bhai Taru Singh ji at Naulakha Bazaar in Lahore, Pakistan has been claimed as the place of Masjid Shahid Ganj and attempts are being made to convert it to a mosque," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said. He said India expressed its concerns, in strongest terms, on the incident and called upon Pakistan to investigate the matter and take immediate remedial measures. "Pakistan was also called upon to look after the safety, security, well-being of its minority communities including protection of their religious rights and cultural heritage," Srivastava said, responding to a query on the matter. He said Gurdwara Shahidi Asthan Bhai Taru Ji is a historical gurdwara where Bhai Taru Ji made supreme sacrifice in 1745. "The gurdwara is a place of reverence and considered sacred by the Sikh community. This incident has been viewed with grave concern in India. There have been calls for justice for the minority Sikh community in Pakistan," he added. An activist of Dawat-e-Islami (Beraillwi), who is also a caretaker of Mazar of Muslim prophet Hazrat Shah Kaku Chesti in Lahore has threatened the minority Sikh community saying that Pakistan is an Islamic nation that belongs to Muslims. In a video, Sohail Butt, who also runs a shop in Landa Bazar, along with some local activists have occupied the land of Gurudwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh and has threatened Gopal Singh Chawla, the former chief of Pakistan Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (PGPC) who hoisted Shri Nishan Sahib (a Sikh symbol) at the gurudwara last year. Sohail claims that the land on which Gurdwara Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh and its adjoining 4-5 kanals of Gurdwara land belong to Mazar of Muslim prophet Hazrat Shah Kaku Chesti and adjoining Masjid Shaheed Ganj. Meanwhile, the trauma of being abducted and kept in captivity in Afghanistan is gradually going away now that "I am back in my homeland", said Nidan Singh Sachdeva, who till a few days ago, had to endure regular beatings and death threats by his captors. The 55-year-old Sikh community leader in Afghanistan was abducted last month along with 10 members of minority communities of that country ? Sikhs and Hindus -- from the Paktia province. They were later released and arrived here on Sunday after India granted them visas and facilitated their travel. Recalling his ordeal, Sachdeva, who was released on July 18, said he was given death threats several times in captivity and had lost all hope of returning alive. "I was beaten up and traumatised. I was told 'we will send your head back to India'," he said. Sachdeva said he still gets nightmares of the beatings that he endured in captivity. "We saw a lot of violence in front of our eyes. I keep getting nightmares and wake up all panicky," he said. "But now that I have returned to India, I feel all the pain that I endured due to constant beatings in captivity has vanished," Sachdeva said. Calling India "heaven", he thanked the Indian government for facilitating their return. "There are many Sikh brothers and sisters in the country (Afghanistan) still. I request the government to bring them back too," he said. Pyaara Singh, who was also among those who returned, said India is his home and other Sikhs who are stranded there also want to return. "India is our home and I want to request the government to bring all Sikhs back." (editor@dailyworld.in)