Sikh's forced conversion to Islam: SAD delegation to meet Pakistan High Commission

NEW DELHI: A delegation of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) members will meet Pakistan High Commission officials at on Wednesday evening to discuss the issue of forcible conversion of Sikhs in Pakistan.

The members of Sikh community in Hangu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan are allegedly being 'forced to convert to Islam' by a government official.

“An issue of forcible conversion (of Sikhs) in Pakistan has surfaced, a delegation of Akali Dal will have a meeting at the Pakistan High Commission this evening, over the issue,” said SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. 

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to take up the matter with Pakistani authorities. 

Request @SushmaSwaraj ji to take up this issue with Pakistan. We cannot allow the Sikh community to be victimised in such a manner. It’s our duty to help protect the Sikh identity and the @MEAIndia should pursue the matter at the highest levels.https://t.co/sRFjV1pk5Q — Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) December 19, 2017

Responding to it, Swaraj later tweeted:

We will take this up at the highest level with Government of Pakistan. @IndiainPakistan
Sikh community in Hangu ‘being forced to convert’ https://t.co/HiWuVmBzbj — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) December 19, 2017

According to a report in Pakistani media, members of the Sikh community in Hangu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province told deputy commissioner Shahid Mehmood that assistant commissioner Tehsil Tall Yaqoob Khan was allegedly forcing Sikhs to embrace Islam.

Farid Chand Singh, who filed the complaint, was quoted as saying that community members were living in the area since 1901 and peacefully with Muslims. He said residents of Hangu district had never harmed the Sikh people.