Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Tuesday announced that a Shaheedi Sthal memorial would be established at Harike Pattan to commemorate those who lost their lives during the turbulent period in Punjab.He led a collective ‘ardas’ programme at Harike Pattan in memory of those who were forcibly disappeared and whose bodies were cremated as unclaimed or disposed of in rivers during the militancy years in Punjab.Jathedar Gargaj also urged Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to undertake comprehensive documentation of all major incidents and killings that occurred between 1982 and 1995. He said preserving historical records was essential for future generations.The event comes amid renewed public discussion on the Punjab militancy era following the release and subsequent removal of the film Satluj, based on the life and work of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Khalra’s investigations had documented hundreds of alleged illegal cremations and enforced disappearances.Significantly, during the ‘ardas’, the Akal Takht remembered not only Sikhs but also Hindus who were disappeared and killed during the period. Describing the ceremony as a collective prayer for all Punjabis, Giani Gargaj said the gathering was meant to remember every innocent victim irrespective of religion.He also prayed for peace, harmony, and strength for Punjab to overcome its present-day social and political challenges, while urging society to draw lessons from the state’s violent past.A large number of youth and activists from religious and political organisations attended the function.