A cutting issue for Sikhs in Pakistan

Without explicit legal cover, Sikhs cannot freely move around with their kirpans

PESHAWAR:

The kirpan is part of our identity. When we leave home, we have to leave our identity behind.

This blunt statement from Manmeet Kaur, a Sikh woman in Peshawar, summarises one of the biggest problems that Pakistani Sikhs face in the practice of their religion.

Pakistan wants to be a safe country for people of all faiths so that every citizen can feel a sense of national pride.

But for the local Sikh community, there is a serious hurdle that can divide them between adherence to their fate and respect for the country’s laws. The divide, interestingly enough, is even more pronounced for elected representatives.

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is now taking steps to address the issue.

And what is the issue?

The kirpan – a dagger which every Sikh is required by faith to wear at all times.

The kirpan (pictured above), a dagger which every Sikh is required by faith to wear at all times. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Most adult Sikhs – men and women – carry a four to five-inch long kirpan with them. It is usually kept sheathed, under their clothing and in contact with their skin.

Due to tight security arrangements in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), the Sikh community in Peshawar has been encountering difficulties in carrying their kirpans. Even Member Provincial Assembly Ranjeet Singh wasn't allowed to wear his kirpan inside the assembly. To participate in assembly sessions, Ranjeet has to leave his kirpan in his car.

While entering the assembly, security officials would politely tell Ranjeet that he cannot bring “a dagger” inside the assembly.

But this isn’t the first time this has happened. For years, members of the Sikh community have been raising the issue of permission to wear a Kirpan in the assembly, public offices, courts, police stations, and during air travel. It was only recently that the K-P Assembly decided to work on a law to grant Sikhs exemptions to carry kirpans in secure areas.

MPA Ranjeet Singh. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Interestingly, Sikh community leaders said no FIR has ever been lodged in Pakistan regarding the carrying of a kirpan.

MPA Ranjeet said that the kirpan is among the five articles of faith in his religion – along with the kanga (comb), kachera (an undergarment), kara (bracelet), kesh (long,uncut hair) – and is an important part of the faith. He said that while entering the assembly, he is regularly asked to leave his kirpan outside. He said that this is quite painful because it hurts his religious sentiments.

Ranjeet said that Prime Minister Imran Khan made the historic decision of opening the Kartarpur corridor, and this has made the Sikh community hopeful that the PTI government in K-P will craft a law allowing Sikhs to carry their kirpans.

Renowned Sikh social worker and K-P Youth Assembly Minority Minister Gorpal Singh, a Peshawarite, said that the tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, listed the articles of faith. According to Gorpal, in K-P and the former Fata areas, there are around 45,000 Sikhs, with the highest concentration the Khyber, Orakzai and Kurram tribal districts. He said there are around 7,500 Sikh people are based in Peshawar, and many have their ancestral homes here. “When we go to the IG office, we are not allowed to take kirpans with us. If we have to go to the secretariat, the security officials bar us from entry, during exams, students are not allowed to carry kirpans, which is painful to us Sikhs,” he said.

K-P Youth Assembly Minority Minister Gorpal Singh displays his Kirpan. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Gorpal then narrated an anecdote from a recent trip abroad. “Malaysia is also a Muslim country. I went to their parliament, and no one asked about my kirpan. There is no restriction on the kirpan there.” He added that during the previous government's tenure, Sikh leaders wrote a letter to then-chief minister Pervaiz Khattak regarding the kirpan. “We informed him of all the issues regarding carrying a kirpan, but nothing was done.”

Manmeet Kaur told The Express Tribune that in general, Sikhs do have a lot of freedom in Pakistan, “but the kirpan is compulsory part of our faith and bodies”, and restrictions on carrying it make them feel wronged. “A few days back, I was flying to Karachi. I was made to leave the kirpan behind. “No one would use their kirpan to commit a crime. We keep it sheathed and our religion requires us to wear it at all times. We are hopeful that provincial government will permit us to carry the kirpan.”

The K-P government’s move towards legislation on the kirpan started after a Sikh delegation including Ranjeet Singh, Baba Gorpal, and other community leaders met K-P Law Minister Sultan Muhammad Khan and informed him of the difficulties they face while carrying the kirpan. The minister asked the delegation to provide him with legal documents from around the world regarding permission to carry kirpans and directed law department to immediately present a report on possible legislation in this matter.

Manmeet Kaur. PHOTO: EXPRESS

Speaking to The Express Tribune, K-P Law Minister Sultan Khan said, “We will try to dispense even greater rights and freedom than other countries to Sikhs on the kirpan issue.”

After mentioning Canada and other countries where there is existing legislation on the kirpan, he said, “We will consider them and move towards law-making in this regard. K-P will be Pakistan's first province with a good law in this regard, so that minority communities don't encounter any difficulties anywhere.” He explained that there is no real issue in permitting kirpan to Sikh community in KP, but due to security concerns the government needs to give them legal cover. “Our government wants to give minorities religious freedom and rights…[regarding] the protection of Sikh culture and freedom, the Kartarpur corridor was opened and the government of Pakistan issued a new visa policy.”

K-P information minister Shaukat Yousufzai said that Sikhs have religious freedom in the province and that the provincial government is taking great interest in provision of religious liberty and rights to the Sikh community. He said Sikhs must acknowledge security concerns in the kirpan issue, but added, “We respect minorities and will try to solve this issue for the Sikh community as soon as possible.

If the legislation goes through, K-P will become the first province where Sikhs will have a legal right to carry the kirpan.