London, Dec 1 (NationPress) The worsening plight of Sikhs in Pakistan highlights the ongoing decline of religious freedom, with cases of disappearances, forced conversions, and targeted killings undermining the fragile assurance of equality embedded in the country’s Constitution, as reported on Monday.

The report further notes that the shrinking Sikh population jeopardizes the preservation of historic gurdwaras, as a diminishing community makes upkeep increasingly challenging.

As detailed in the UK-based publication Asian Lite, Sikhs in Pakistan face entrenched institutional discrimination that compromises their ability to live with dignity and safety.

The recent incident involving Sarabjit Kaur, a 52-year-old woman from Kapurthala, Punjab, has once again highlighted the risky situation for Sikhs in Pakistan. Kaur, who traveled with a group of Sikh pilgrims to commemorate the 555th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, mysteriously disappeared during the pilgrimage. Shortly thereafter, a marriage certificate emerged, claiming she had converted to Islam, changed her name to Noor, and wed a local man named Nasir Hussain. A video purportedly showing her Nikah circulated online, although its legitimacy remains uncertain,” the report elaborated.

Sikh organizations have called for a transparent inquiry, expressing concerns over whether her conversion and marriage were voluntary or coerced. This case is not isolated; it mirrors a broader issue of forced conversions and systemic discrimination against religious minorities in Pakistan. The Sikh community, whose numbers are barely 20,000 in the country, has long faced marginalization, violence, and exclusion. Their daily lives are characterized by insecurity, social stigma, and institutional neglect,” it continued.

The report further mentioned that in addition to targeted killings, forced conversions and marriages pose a significant threat, as Sikh and Hindu girls, especially in Sindh province, often face abductions and are coerced into converting to Islam.

Organized groups, frequently backed by clerics, manipulate age records to validate these conversions. In 2017, Sikhs in the Hangu district accused a government official of pressuring them to embrace Islam. Despite numerous complaints, legislation aimed at protecting minorities remains stalled, leaving communities vulnerable to exploitation,” it reported.

Social prejudice, fueled by religious bigotry and vigilante violence, is perpetuated through mosques and public discourse, where negative stereotypes about non-Muslim traditions are widely disseminated.

These conditions have fostered such a hostile environment in Pakistan that thousands of Sikhs have sought safety abroad, primarily in India.

For those who remain, life is defined by persistent insecurity, struggling to maintain their identity and faith amidst systemic exclusion and daily threats.

“From disappearances to coerced conversions, from targeted killings to systemic discrimination, Sikhs in Pakistan are confronted with a reality where justice is elusive and prejudice is rampant. Unless immediate actions are taken to protect minority rights, the community’s existence in Pakistan may remain perilously threatened, and the nation’s commitment to pluralism will continue to deteriorate,” the report concluded.