Islamabad: The life-size sculpture of Maharaj Ranjit Singh, who ruled Punjab for nearly 40 years in the early 19th century, was inaugurated on Thursday at the historic fort in Lahore, Pakistan. The inauguration was held to mark his 180th anniversary. It took eight months to build an eight-foot-high statue of the Sikh ruler sitting on his favourite horse.

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The horse was gifted to him by Muhammad Khan, the founder friend of the Barazai dynasty. The statue was installed in the Sikh Gallery of Mai Jindan Mansion in Lahore Fort during a special ceremony. Top Pakistani officials attended the ceremony. The mansion is named after Ranjit Singh's oldest queen.

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Sikh Heritage Foundation President Bobby Singh Bansal said that the weight of the statue is 250-330 kg. It is made with 85 per cent bronze, five per cent tin, five per cent lead and five per cent zinc. Pakistan had also issued visas to several Indian Sikh pilgrims on the death anniversary of Maharaj Ranjit Singh. Under the scheme, 463 Indian Sikh pilgrims will be on a visit to Pakistan from June 27 to July 6 to commemorate the death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.