Mass protest takes place over “forced conversion” of Pakistan Sikh woman

Dozens of Pakistani Sikhs took part in a protest in outside a police station in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after allegations of the “forced conversion” and marriage of a Sikh woman to a Muslim man.

Gurcharan Singh claimed his 25-year-old daughter, named as Meena/Deena/Dina (depending on sources) Kaur Kumari, was coerced into meeting with a Muslim man and subsequently taken at gun-point and kept away from her family. The woman was then later announced as married to her unnamed abductor.

Police inaction on the issue resulted in a Sikh community gathering to protest outside a station in Peer Baba on Buner Road. Traffic was blocked outside the station. The protest was criticised for blocking an ambulance, whose passenger then died. The family of the deceased demanded police action against the protesters.

A video was later released by a veiled woman claiming to be Meena, a school teacher, in which she said she voluntarily converted and married her Muslim husband, and she did not wish to return to or visit her family in Darul Aman. Sikhs in Pakistan, as well as in Kashmir and Afghanistan, have regularly complained about the targeting of Sikh females for conversion.

Speaking on the issue, Sikh PA Senior Press Officer said, “This latest case is a classic example of how blurred and obscure the truth can be. The first point of contention is the fact Sikhs in Pakistan often feel they cannot rely on the police for any kind of help when it comes to cases of forced conversion, which is what triggered the protest.

“Beyond that, there is also no way to decipher the truth of the safety of the woman involved in the case in the current situation. Is she being forced to say she willingly converted and married? If she did convert and marry willingly, why cannot a meeting between the families be facilitated by authorities so they can see her confirm this in person? Sikh families in these situations often complain about being threatened by local Muslims, which is what happened in this case. How are Pakistani authorities ensuring their safety?

“Finally, when we take into account the context of various witnesses attesting to Sikh women being kidnapped at gun-point, especially in the Khyber province, as well as underage Sikh girls being groomed by Muslim men, the reaction by Pakistan’s Sikh community is understandable.”

Various political figures in India have spoken out about the case, with some suggesting that the police in such regions work to cover-up forced conversions, instead of working to prevent them. The Akal Takht (supreme Sikh authority) Jathedar (Head) Giani Harpreet Singh condemned the incident and referenced previous complaints about similar issues taking place.