As a part of his visit to Pakistan, World Bank President Ajay Pal Singh Banga on Tuesday visited his ancestral place, ‘Gali Sikhan Wali’, in Khushab, a town in Punjab.Located near the Jhelum river between Sargodha and Mianwali, it is also known as the “City of Soldiers” for its contribution to the armed forces. Banga’s father, Harbhajan Singh Banga, a retired Lieutenant-General who served in the Indian Army, grew up in the town.On his arrival, Banga was received by Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) chairperson Khushab Qamar Zaman, additional secretary (shrines) Nasir Mushtaq, along with the local administrative officials.Talking to The Tribune over the phone, Mushtaq said Banga’s visit was a message of peace and cultural connection. “We welcome him as a ‘son of the soil’. Emotions ran high when he visited the ‘haveli’ where his forefathers lived before Partition”, he said.The local officials arranged the copy of the original revenue records of the property and presented it to him as a token of remembrance.Mushtaq said Banga also visited the Sikh shrine, known as Gurdwara Singh Sabha, located in the vicinity. The gurdwara is being maintained by the ETPB.“Banga’s grandfather S Ishar Singh and uncle Kartar Singh, in 1939, had donated in the memory of their mother when the gurdwara was being raised. A marble plaque bearing their name and contribution was still there. We presented him a replica of the plate and a three-D model of the gurdwara. Besides, a special coin dedicated to the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev was also presented to him”, he said.Mushtaq briefed Banga on steps taken for the protection, maintenance and restoration of Sikh religious heritage.Banga arrived in Pakistan on February 1 for a four-day official visit. He held high-level meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and other key officials. At the centre of the discussions was a proposed Country Partnership Framework under which Pakistan could receive up to $20 billion over the next 10 years, subject to strict compliance on governance, taxation and institutional reforms.Also, on his itinerary was a visit to revered Sikh shrine Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal with his wife Anita Banga. They also visited Taxila Museum in Rawalpindi.