‘Punches and kicks’: Sikh students tortured, turbans forcibly removed in Pakistan

An Amrit Hari Sikh girl was allegedly attacked at a Christian school in Pakistan’s Faisalabad district, IANS reported citing Khalsa Vox.Reports say girls were forcibly removed from their headscarves and beaten for refusing to participate in Christian prayers. The incident reportedly took place at St Catherine’s Girls’ High School in Warispura area.The girl’s mother said school staff punched and kicked her daughter in the stomach. She added that the girl suffered from asthma but when her sister tried to help, the teacher allegedly stopped her, saying the victim was faking it.Community organization Sikh Brotherhood International condemned the incident and called for strict action against the school authorities.The mother also claimed that despite seeking help, she received no support from Sikh leaders in Pakistan. She demanded action against those responsible.Khalsa Vox further reported that the mother had earlier suffered severe abuse. She claims she was held captive in Faisalabad for nine months and beaten and tortured by her captors. During this time, she also claimed that her son’s hair, which is sacred in Sikhism, was forcibly cut off.The case reportedly came to light after a journalist highlighted it, after which Punjab’s minority affairs minister intervened and helped secure her release.The incident has sparked new concerns among members of Pakistan’s Sikh community, who question the safety and treatment of the country’s minority.