Investigated: Cases of Forced Conversion of Sikh Minority in Pakistan.

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Meeshika Sharma
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Pakistani authorities have started an inquiry into allegations that members of the Sikh religious minority have been forced to convert to Islam in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.publive-image

Sikhs are a small religious minority in Pakistan. According to government statistics published in 2012, there are about 7,000 registered Sikhs living in Pakistan, mainly in the country’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including the semiautonomous tribal region that shares a border with Afghanistan.

The Sikh community in Hangu district last week filed a complaint, accusing a government official of forcing them to convert to Islam.

The provincial government reportedly suspended Tehsil Tall Yaqoob Khan, assistant commissioner of Hangu, on suspicion of involvement in the case.

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The government confirmed that a high-level investigation is underway and measures have been taken to avoid such incidents in the future.

Shaukat Yousufzai, spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government said, "The government takes such sensitive matters very seriously. The official who demanded the Sikhs to convert was suspended promptly."

“Islam and our constitution doesn’t allow forced conversions,” Yousufzai added.

The community, which could number as many as 20,000 countrywide, has been subject to continued discrimination and violence over the years because of their religious affiliation. The Sikh community complains the recent incident in Hangu shows that discrimination against them is systematic and official.

Pakistan’s neighbor, India, which is home to tens of millions of Sikhs, reacted to the incident.

Sushma Swaraj, India’s minister of external affairs, said in a tweet Tuesday that India will discuss the matter with Pakistan.

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