India Tracks Sikh Persecution In Afghanistan, Pakistan
On Thursday, Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, told Parliament that the government closely monitors reports of Sikh persecution in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
On Thursday, Kirti Vardhan Singh, India’s Minister of State for External Affairs, told Parliament that the government closely monitors reports of Sikh persecution in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
His critique focused predominantly on Pakistan rather than the Taliban, with whom New Delhi has recently fostered improved political relations.
In a written parliamentary response, Singh stated: “Atrocities against minority communities in Pakistan, including Sikhs, involve persecution, intimidation, forced marriages, forced conversions, and vandalism of their places of worship.” However, he did not elaborate on the specifics of Sikh persecution in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, despite detailed accounts from human rights organisations and the US State Department’s annual reports.
After the Taliban seized Kabul, India evacuated 74 Afghan Sikhs via military and Air India flights, citing fears of persecution. The US State Department’s report last year underscored the dwindling Sikh and Hindu populations in Afghanistan, noting their safety concerns under Taliban rule and reluctance to pursue legal action due to risks of torture. It reported that over 900 Sikh and Hindu citizens fled Afghanistan post-takeover, leaving just six individuals to protect their religious sites and sacred texts.
