Akali Dal meets Pakistan High Commissioner over Sikhs' 'forced conversion'

A delegation of Akali Dal, lead by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, met the Pakistan High Commissioner today over the issue of forcible conversion of Sikhs in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

This meeting comes after reports surfaced in regard to Pakistan's Sikh community alleged that they were "being forced to convert to Islam" by a government official.

The delegation included other members namely, Manjeet Singh, Manjindar Singh Sirsa, Balvindar Singh Pundar, Trilochan Singh and Paramjeet Singh.

"An issue of forcible conversion (of Sikhs) in Pakistan has surfaced; a delegation of Akali Dal will have a meeting at the Pakistan High Commission this evening, over the issue," the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president said while addressing a press briefing here.

Earlier on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj had expressed concerns over the reports and said that she will take up the matter with Pakistan government at the earliest.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh took to Twitter to apprise Swaraj of the alleged forced conversions, urging her to take up the matter at the highest level with Pakistani authorities.

On Saturday, the Sikh community members had lodged a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner of Hangu district, Hangu Shahid Mehmood regarding the same.