The case of the forced conversion of a Sikh girl to Islam from Nankana Sahib has been solved amicably, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said on Tuesday. He said this after a high-level government delegation and a 30-member committee of the Sikh community discussed the issue. The matter was “amicably resolved to the satisfaction of the concerned families” asserted Chaudhry Sarwar.
Chaudhry Sarwar appreciated the cooperation of the family of girl Jagjit Kaur-who was forcibly converted to Islam- and the man, who abducted and forcibly converted her, for coming to Governor House and solving the matter.
Great news for Pakistani & Sikh communities across the world. Issue of Nankana girl was amicably resolved to the satisfaction of the concerned families. The girl is safe & in touch with her family. We shall continue to ensure the rights of minorities in Paistan! #Sikhcommunity pic.twitter.com/ZBiluHTucy
— Mohammad Sarwar (@ChMSarwar) September 3, 2019
“The girl is safe and in touch with her family,” the governor tweeted.
In a video posted on Sarwar’s Twitter account, the father of the girl asserted not to approach the court for the custody of the girl. Adding that “If she wishes to go with them (her family), we have no objections. They are her guardians.”
In return, the Sikh community and the concerned families thanked Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar and Prime Minister Imran Khan for intervening in the matter and resolving it amicably.
The case came to public attention earlier last week, when the family of the girl registered a First Information Report against six men, alleging them of abducting the 19-year old Kaur and forcibly converting her to Islam. Police traced the accused men from Lahore and arrested one of them, while others obtained pre-arrest bail.
It is requested that concerned quarters may kindly be taken on board so that Sikh community could be engaged and pacified timely as the community has announced to protest if their demand is not honoured.
Later on, Sheikh Sultan, Kaur’s advocate approached Police and asserted that the girl had embraced Islam and contracted marriage with Muhammad Hassan on free will. He also submitted the girl’s statement in the court, in which she accused her family of “wanting to kill me”.
Despite her statement, the Sikh community was adamant to get the girl back irrespective of conversion being forced or consensual.
The videos of the girl’s family protesting the forced change of girl’s faith and her marriage with a Muslim went viral on social media. The father and brother of the girl appealed the concerned authorities to help them in bringing the girl back to her home.
https://twitter.com/SKS_Shivhare/status/1167343962593447936?s=20
https://twitter.com/SKS_Shivhare/status/1167394016809254914?s=20
The provincial government intervened in the matter after District Police Officer of Nankana Sahib delivered the memorandum to IG Punjab Police seeking the intervention of the government for the resolution of the matter.
“[The Sikh community] is agitating against the incident and videos of the family of the girl [were] also viral on social media and international media,” the memorandum read.
“It is requested that concerned quarters may kindly be taken on board so that Sikh community could be engaged and pacified timely as the community has announced to protest if their demand is not honoured.”
Indian Media Defames Pakistan
Earlier, Indian media had used the news of the forced conversion of the Sikh girl in Nankana Sahib to defame Pakistan for suppressing the Sikh community in Pakistan. Indian Punjab’s union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal protested and bashed Pakistan for failing to protect the rights of the religious minorities of Hindu and Sikhs living in Pakistan.
Read more: Sikh pilgrims celebrate Baisakhi Festival in Pakistan
Several other Indian Twitter users also slandered Pakistan for mistreating its religious minorities. They asserted that the cases of the forced conversion of Hindu and Sikh girls are rampant in Pakistan.
Several Sikh Indian politicians have condemned the case, asserting that they have apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Interior Minister Amit Shah with the cases of forced conversions of the Sikh girls in Pakistan.
Shocked to know after abduction & forced conversion of Sikh girl in Nankana Sahib, a Hindu girl has been forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan. Urge External Affairs min @DrSJaishankar ji to raise issue of ethnic cleansing of Sikhs & Hindus in Pak in UN Human Rights Council/1
— Harsimrat Kaur Badal (@HarsimratBadal_) September 1, 2019
I met @AmitShah Ji and apprised him about the abduction and forced conversion of minor Sikh girl in Pakistan. I have urged him to take up this matter with @pid_gov & help in safe return of the girl
He has assured me of maximum efforts for the daughter from Nankana Sahib 🙏🏻@ANI pic.twitter.com/UlONJeu86L— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) August 31, 2019