Forceful conversion of Sikh woman in Pakistan sparks row: Will MEA S Jaishankar intervene?
Sparking a debate on the treatment of non-Muslim individuals and minorities in Pakistan, people from the Sikh community are demanding action against the forceful conversion of a Sikh woman to Islam in the country.
According to media reports, a Sikh woman in Pakistan was kidnapped and forcefully converted to Islam. Deena Kaur, who is a teacher in the country was allegedly kidnapped and forcibly married off to a Muslim on Saturday in Pakistan’s KPK.
The family was informed about the wedding and her conversion to Islam the next day causing deep resentment among the Sikh community. Despite approaching the police, the family’s complaint was not registered, as per IANS reports.
The forceful conversion and marriage of the Sikh teacher have sparked a major row in Pakistan, creating tensions between the Sikh and Islamic communities in the country. The Sikh community has now reached out to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to intervene in the issue.
The conversion of the woman against her will steps against the human rights of minorities in Pakistan, the Sikh community said, and a delegation of the community from the country is set to meet with the MEA representatives in India.
The National Commission for Minorities has urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take up with Pakistan the forced religious conversion of a Sikh woman there to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
In a statement issued on Monday, the NCM said it has taken cognizance of media reports about the abduction and forcible conversion of a Sikh woman in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area, as per PTI reports.
The official statement by the NCM further said that Sikhs living in India and abroad have expressed their deep concern as the incident has hurt their religious sentiments.
The statement further requested MEA S Jaishankar to discuss the matter of forceful conversion with his Pakistani counterpart so that these incidents are not repeated in the future and appropriate steps are taken to prevent and combat hate and ensure the safety of Sikhs in Pakistan.