to IslamPeshawar, Dec 19 (PTI) The Sikh community in Pakistan'sHangu district in northwestern province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwahave alleged that they were being forced to convert to Islamby a government official, according to a media report.
The Sikh community members have lodged a complaint withthe Deputy Commissioner Hangu Shahid Mehmood, the ExpressTribune reported.
According to the Pakistan's National Database andRegistration Authority, there are around 6,000 Sikhs in thecountry, living in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Federally AdministeredTribal Areas (FATA), Sindh, Balochistan, Nankana Sahib, Lahoreand other districts of Punjab.
In his complaint, Farid Chand Singh said that thecommunity members had been living in the area since 1901 andwere never offended by anyone, specially over religiousbeliefs.
"They rather lived all their lives peacefully withMuslims, despite having been a hotbed for sectarian conflicts,residents of Hangu district never harmed us," he was quoted assaying in the report.
They were never approached by someone to convert toIslam, they have friendly relations with Muslims who havealways stood up for the community when in need, Singh added.
"Had it been from someone ordinary, it would have neverbeen felt so offending but when you hear such things from agovernment official, it becomes something really serious,"Singh told The Express Tribune.
"We, the residents of Doaba area, are being torturedreligiously," he alleged in his complaint.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province is in the northwesternregion of the country along Pakistan's international borderwith Afghanistan. It was previously known as the North-WestFrontier Province (NWFP).
Deputy Commissioner Hangu Shahid Mehmood said that theSikh community members got offended during a conversation withthe assistant commissioner, which the latter never reallymeant.
There was no such issue of converting someone forcefullyto Islam, rather administration ensured religious freedom, heclarified said.
Concerned by the report, Punjab Chief Minister AmarinderSingh today urged External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj totake up with Pakistani authorities the issue of alleged forcedconversion of Sikhs to Islam.
"Request @SushmaSwaraj ji to take up this issue withPakistan. We cannot allow the Sikh community to be victimisedin such a manner. ItÂ’s our duty to help protect the Sikhidentity and the @MEAIndia should pursue the matter at thehighest levels," he tweeted.
In response, Swaraj said that the matter would be takenat the highest level in Pakistan government.
"We will take this up at the highest level withGovernment of Pakistan. @IndiainPakistan Sikh community inHangu ‘being forced to convert’," she tweeted. PTI SMJ AKJSMJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.