Minority report: In a month or so, Sikhs to start lining up for NICs in Karachi
The Sikh community is in the process of starting a campaign to promote the registration of their legally adult (18+) community members with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
“The Sikhs face a problem in getting jobs, school admissions, visas and national identity cards,” said Pakistan Sikh Council chairman Sardar Ramesh Singh. “We want to help the Sikh population in the country.”
According to Singh, they also want to initiate the process of procuring marriage certificates for couples who get married at the Gurdwara (Sikh place of worship).
“We have reached this decision after meeting NADRA officials, who have promised their full cooperation in procuring our National Identity Cards (NIC),” he said. “The campaign will kick off from Karachi in a month or two, and spread into Balochistan where a majority of the Sikh community resides. It will then eventually move on to other parts of the country.”
Reportedly, Jasmeet Singh, a resident of Daharki, wasted an entire academic year due to a mistake on his B form. When Jasmeet applied for his BSc at Khairpur University, his date of birth was written as 1992 instead of 1990, which showed that he was only six months older than his younger sister, Jaspreet Kaur. Because of this mix-up, both of their NICs were blocked and his sister wasted an academic year as well.
Wedlock-ed
NADRA has also decided to end the problem of marriage certificates by recognising the Anand Karaj (Sikh marriage ceremony) as a valid marriage contract. In a meeting held on July 5, the Sikh community members met NADRA’s deputy chairman, Tariq Malik, and decided that a Sikh marriage ceremony presided over by a granthi (Sikh priest) from the Gurdwara, or the president of any Sikh organisation of the country, would be accepted.
Populated minority
According to Malik, there are around 30,000 to 40,000 Sikhs in the country. “So far only 5,852 Sikhs are registered: 3,105 Sikh men and 2,747 women,” he said. Singh added that knowing the exact number of Sikhs in the country would not only help keep track of their community, but would also help the government allocate resources to the minorities.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 11th, 2011.
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Sid, your response is very sincere. I being a minority in India know how minorities are treated in India. My one brother is Major General and other Brigadier in the Indian Army. Please tell me how many minority officers in Pakistan Army. I have some friends from Rabwah and tell me the horror stories. Let us accept the fact that we ( people of sub continent) are the most discriminatory people when it comes to the less fortunate.
Pakistan's loss has been India's gain - look how successful Sikhs are in India.
@Raj: There is no rationale in your analogy as Pakistan came into existence on the basis of ideology. You need to refresh your memory towards the division of India. With few exceptions, the people on both the sides chose to migrate at their own will. The minorities in Pakistan live in peace and harmony unlike in India where other minorities specially muslims need to prove every day, their loyalty to that country in different ways and yet they are treated with skepticism. Few symbolic appointments here and there for an eye wash does not change anything on the ground.
30-40,000 Sikhs in a country where Sikhism was born. Imagine 30-40,000 Buddhs in India and 30-40,000 Muslims in Saudi Arabia
There's a gurdwara in Karachi? Where?
What's the point. In another 10/20 years there will be no such thing as 'minority'. Men; killed or converted (by force or by compulsion). Women; abducted,forced into marriage (means autotmatic conversion).Children; not a problem, they will follow their parents. So why waste money on this NIC exercise.