Government takes up forced conversion of Pakistani Sikh woman, seeks action: Jaishankar to NCM
During a meeting with the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed them that Pakistan had been informed about the forced religious conversion of a Sikh woman and that strict action is expected against those responsible.
Earlier this month, the NCM released a statement saying it was aware of media reports regarding the abduction and forcible conversion of a Sikh girl in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
As part of a letter to the Minister of External Affairs dated August 22, Iqbal Singh Lalpura requested that the matter be taken up with his Pakistani counterpart so that such an incident does not occur again, appropriate measures are taken to prevent and combat hate, and Sikhs’ safety is ensured.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in a letter on September 17, informed the chief of NCM that the government had taken note of the incident. The statement stated that the government raised the matter with the Pakistan government through diplomatic channels as soon as it received the incident report, conveying grave concerns at such a shocking and deplorable incident.
The government also expects the Pakistan government to take strict measures against those responsible for the incident.
Moreover, the Indian government shared the concerns of Indian society over the continued persecution of minorities in Pakistan.
In the statement, Pakistan was also asked to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the minority communities in Pakistan.
On August 20, a Sikh woman, a teacher from the Buner district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was abducted at gunpoint and forcibly married.
