CHITLEEN K SETHI
Akalis issue ultimatum to Pakistani govt that Sikhs in Pakistan will protest in Lahore Saturday if the girl is not released by Friday night.
There is outrage in Punjab over allegations that a Sikh girl has been abducted and forcibly converted to Islam through marriage in Pakistan.
While Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has demanded strict and firm action against the perpetrators, the Akalis have given an ultimatum to the Pakistani government that if the girl is not released by Friday night, Sikhs in Pakistan will protest in Lahore Saturday.
The minor Sikh girl, Jagjit Kaur, was allegedly abducted and forced to change her religion. She is from Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and is the daughter of granthi (head priest) Bhagwan Singh of Gurdwara Sri Tambu Sahib.
The incident has drawn the attention of Sikhs worldwide and sparked anger in the community.
Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has taken up the issue with Foreign Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar. Terming the act as being shameful, Harsimrat said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan should immediately take action against the perpetrators.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) president, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who led a delegation to meet officials in the foreign affairs ministry Friday said Sikhs will hold a protest in front of the Governor’s house in Lahore where an international conference is being organised.
“I have received telephonic calls from the father and the brother, Manmohan Singh, of the abducted girl as their family is in trauma,” Sirsa said. “They want the safe return of the girl.”
He said Indian officials were in touch with the acting High Commissioner of Pakistan on the issue.
MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India has shared its concerns with Pakistan over the issue.
“The ministry has received a number of representations from various quarters of civil society in India, including Sikh religious bodies in India, at the reports of the incident of abduction and forced conversion of a minor Sikh girl in Pakistan. We have shared these concerns with the Government of Pakistan and asked for immediate remedial action,” he said.
CM wades into row
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also urged the foreign affairs minister to take up the issue with his counterpart at the earliest.
“Shocking incident of a Sikh girl being kidnapped & forced to convert to Islam in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan,” he tweeted. “Call upon @ImranKhanPTI to take firm and immediate action against the perpetrators. Request @DrSJaishankar to strongly take up the issue with his counterpart at the earliest.”
Shocking incident of a Sikh girl being kidnapped & forced to convert to Islam in Nankana Sahib, Pakistan. Call upon @ImranKhanPTI to take firm and immediate action against the perpetrators. Request @DrSJaishankar to strongly take up the issue with his counterpart at the earliest.
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A video of the girl’s purported wedding to a Muslim boy Zulfiqar Ali has gone viral. In the video, she is saying that she has married the boy without any pressure and has adopted Islam on her own volition.
Sirsa, however, alleged that the video was clearly made under duress and the girl has been forced to give her consent to the marriage.
Not only the Hindu girls are forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan but SIKH Girls also. A daughter of a Granthi of #GurdwaraTambuSahib in #Nankana Sahib was missing for past 3 days has surfaced on Thursday after marrying a Muslim man & embrassing Islam . @MEAIndia @HMOIndia
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The girl’s family also released a video regarding the incident Thursday alleging that the girl was forcibly picked up from their house. Manmohan Singh, the girl’s brother, said the persons who had come to pick up the girl threatened her that in case she refused, the entire family would be forced to convert to Islam. He requested the Prime Minister Imran Khan and the army chief General Qamar Bajwa to intervene in the matter and return the girl safely back to her family.
#BREAKING: Family of Sikh Girl Jagjit Kaur who was abducted in Pakistan and forcibly converted to Islam speaks out. Family calls upon @ImranKhanPTI and Pakistan Army Chief to act or else the incident could impact both #KartarpurCorridor and Kashmir.
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