Sikhism in Afghanistan

Presence

Kabul

There were over 200,000 Sikhs in Kabul in the 1980s, but after the start of the Civil War in 1992, most had fled. Seven of Kabul's eight gurdwaras were destroyed during the civil war. Only Gurdwara Karte Parwan, located in the Karte Parwan section of Kabul, remains. They are centred today in Karte Parwan and some parts of the old city. There is no exact number of Sikhs in Kabul province.

Jalalabad

As of 2001, Jalalabad had 100 Sikh families, totaling around 700 people, who worship at two large Gurdwaras. Legend states that the older of the Gurudwaras was built to commemorate the visit of Guru Nanak Dev. On 1 July 2018, at least 10 Sikhs were killed in a targeted suicide bombing at the PD1 market. The local branch of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility.

Kandahar

Kandahar has a very small Sikh community, with only about 15 families living there as of 2002.

Khost

Khost had a prevalent ethnically Pashtun Sikh community up until the 1970's, which later spread to states in India like New Delhi. Alongside European countries like, Russia, Belgium, Austria and the UK. Khosti sikhs have a rich history with their Sikh religion, and Afghan cultural identity.

History

Early history

Guru Nanak visited Kabul in the 15th century. Guru Nanak is traditionally locally known as Peer Balagdaan in Afghanistan. Some early Khatri Sikhs established and maintained colonies in Afghanistan for trading purposes. Later, conflicts between the Sikh misls and empire against the Afghan-based Durrani Empire led to tension. Sikhs also served in the British Empire's military during several operations in Afghanistan in the 19th century.

20th century

Following the partition of India in 1947, the Sikh population increased as Sikh migrants fled persecution from the Pothohar region of newly formed country of Pakistan. The Sikhs prospered during the 1933-1973 reign of Mohammad Zahir Shah, and during period of strongly secular period of Soviet rule.

Wars

During the 1980s Soviet–Afghan War, many Afghan Sikhs fled to India, where 90% of global Sikh population lives; a second, much larger wave followed following the 1992 fall of the Najibullah regime. Sikh gurdwaras throughout the country were destroyed in the Battle of Jalalabad (1989) and the Afghan Civil War of the 1990s, leaving only the Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul.

Under the Taliban, the Sikhs were a persecuted minority and forced to pay the jizya tax. The Sikh custom of cremation of the dead was prohibited by the Taliban, and cremation grounds vandalized. In addition, Sikhs were required to wear yellow patches or veils to identify themselves.

21st century

By tradition, Sikhs cremate their dead, an act considered sacrilege in Islam. Cremation has become a major issue among Sikh Afghans, as traditional cremation grounds have been appropriated by Muslims, particularly in the Qalacha area of Kabul, which Sikhs and Hindus had used for over a century. In 2003 Sikhs complained to the Afghan government regarding the loss of cremation grounds, which had forced them to send a dead body to Pakistan to be cremated, following which the Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs investigated the issue. Though the grounds were reported as returned to Sikh control in 2006, in 2007 local Muslims allegedly beat Sikhs attempting to cremate a community leader, and the funeral proceeded only with police protection. As of 2010, cremation in Kabul is still reported as being disapproved of by locals.

Sikhs in Afghanistan continue to face problems, with the issue of the Sikh custom of cremation figuring prominently.

In September 2013, Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed a legislative decree, reserving a seat in the National Assembly of Afghanistan for the Hindu and Sikh minority. However this decree was blocked by the parliament. The decree eventually came into force in September 2016 when it was approved by the cabinet of Karzai's successor, Ashraf Ghani. Narendra Singh Khalsa was elected to this seat at the subsequent general election.

Following the deadly Jalalabad attack in June 2018, both Karzai and Ghani visited the Karte Parwan gurdwara to offer condolences. Ghani called the country's Sikh and Hindu minorities the "pride of the nation", and on another occasion that year called them an "integral part" of Afghanistan's history.

The country is witnessing a severe decline in the community's population with the coming of Taliban back in power. Several members sought refuge to other countries and several others are still attempting to flee their home country.

Diaspora

The population ratio between Afghan Sikhs and Hindus is estimated to be 60:40, as both populations are frequently merged in historic and contemporary estimations. Combined with a wide range of population approximations in the absence of official census data, the Afghan Sikh population was estimated to be between 200,000 and 500,000 in the 1970s.

In the ensuing decades, widespread emigration was common amongst religious minorities due to increased persecution by Taliban forces; by the 1990s, the Afghan Sikh population declined below 50,000. As of 2013, they are around 800 families of which 300 families live in Kabul. Sikh leaders in Afghanistan claim that the total number of Sikhs is 3,000. Many Sikh families have chosen to emigrate to other countries including, India, North America, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Russia and other places.

Notable people

• Jai Singh Fani, 1st Sikh to be elected as a Member of Parliament in Afghanistan
• Gajinder Singh Safri, Member of Parliament in Afghanistan
• Awtar Singh, member of the National Assembly of Afghanistan
• Anarkali Kaur Honaryar, member of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and 2009 Radio Free Europe Afghanistan "Person of the Year"
• Narendra Singh Khalsa, Member of Parliament in Afghanistan

Notes

References

References

1. Paul, GS. (September 25, 2022). "Taliban again refuse to permit Sikh holy scriptures to accompany Afghan Sikhs, Hindus". [[The Tribune India]].
2. IP Singh. (23 December 2019). "Punjab: No clarity on exact number of Afghan Sikhs in India". The Times of India.
3. Pritpal Singh. (21 May 2017). "HINDU KUSH TO THAMES". Youtube.
4. Valva Bezhan. (25 December 2017). "Moscow's 'Little Kabul'". Radio Free Europe.
5. U.S. State Department. (14 September 2007). "Afghanistan - International Religious Freedom Report 2007". The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affair.
6. (2020-04-01). "Blood in the Abode of Peace: The attack on Kabul's Sikhs".
7. "A Precarious State: the Sikh Community in Afghanistan - AIIA".
8. (21 September 2020 }}, Al Jazeera, 2017-01-01, "the culture among Afghan Hindus is predominantly Pashtun"
   Beena Sarwar, [https://www.himalmag.com/finding-lost-heritage/ Finding lost heritage] {{Webarchive). "Two identities, twice the pride: The Pashtun Sikhs of Nankana Saheb". [[Pakistan Today]].
9. link. (14 December 2019 Infobase Publishing, 2007. {{ISBN). 0-8160-5761-3, {{ISBN. 978-0-8160-5761-0. Pg18
10. (20 August 2014). "Explainer: who are the Afghan Sikhs?". The Conversation.
11. "Solidarity for Sikhs after Afghanistan massacre".
12. (11 October 2022). "Afghanistan's Dwindling Sikh Community Escapes to India".
13. (4 September 2014). "Why are Afghan Sikhs desperate to flee to the UK?".
14. "'It feels really nice to be here': Sikh refugee families facing persecution in Afghanistan arrive in Calgary".
15. (30 August 2022). "Attacked at home, Afghan Sikhs find community in New York".
16. Ruchi Kumar. (19 October 2017). "Afghan Hindus and Sikhs celebrate Diwali without 'pomp and splendour' amid fear".
17. "No Home for Afghanistan Sikhs". The Sikh Foundation International.
18. (2020-08-05). "COI QUERY".
19. Akhgar, Tameem. (2021-08-13). "Bomb disrupts funeral for 25 Sikhs killed in Afghan capital".
20. (2019-05-22). "Country Policy and Information Note Afghanistan: Sikhs and Hindus".
21. [http://www.themodernreligion.com/jihad/afghan/sikh.html Sikhs set example for getting along with the Taliban] {{Webarchive. link. (10 January 2003 . By Scott Baldauf, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor, 13 April 2001)
22. (1 July 2018). "Suicide Attack Targets Sikhs in Jalalabad, 19 Killed". [[TOLO News.
23. (1 July 2018). "Deadly blast hits Afghanistan's Jalalabad". [[Al Jazeera English]].
24. (2 July 2018). "Suicide bomber kills 19 in attack on Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan".
25. (17 June 2002). "Focus on Hindus and Sikhs in Kandahar".
26. Service, Tribune News. "Booklet on Guru Nanak Dev's teachings released".
27. Hew McLeod. (1997). "Sikhism". Penguin Books.
28. Majumder, Sanjoy. (25 September 2003). "Sikhs struggle in Afghanistan". BBC News.
29. (2 April 1989). "Rocket Kills 22 in Afghan Temple". The New York Times.
30. (2006-01-08). "Sikhs, Hindus reclaim Kabul funeral ground - World - DNA". Dnaindia.com.
31. "Archived copy".
32. "Afghan Sikhs are targeted by the Taliban and unable to even bury their dead - The Week".
33. (2013-06-10). "Afghanistan Sikhs, already marginalized, are pushed to the brink". Los Angeles Times.
34. Hemming, Jon. "Sikhs in Afghan funeral demonstration « RAWA News". Rawa.org.
35. "Afghanistan's Sikhs feel alienated, pressured to leave". The Times of India.
36. (4 September 2014). "Why are Afghan Sikhs desperate to flee to the UK?". BBC News.
37. Margherita Stancati and Ehsanullah Amiri. (13 January 2015). "Facing Intolerance, Many Sikhs and Hindus Leave Afghanistan". WSJ.
38. Ali M Latifi. "Afghanistan's Sikhs face an uncertain future". Al Jazeera.
39. (2010-04-14). "Sikhs, Hindus celebrate in Kabul". Pajhwok Afghan News.
40. (4 September 2013). "1 Wolesi Jirga seat reserved for Hindus, Sikhs". pajhwok.com.
41. "Afghan Government Approves Reservation for Sikhs/Hindus in Parliament".
42. (22 August 2021). "Sikh Afghan lawmaker Narender Khalsa among evacuees".
43. (5 July 2018). "Jalalabad blast: Afghan President visits gurudwara, promises action against culprits".
44. (11 December 2018). "Afghan Hindus and Sikhs meet with President Ghani, raise issue of land grabbing".
45. "explainer-history-of-afghan-sikhs-in-afghanistan". The Quint.
46. Divya Goyal. (28 July 2020). "Sikhs and Hindus of Afghanistan — how many remain, why they want to leave".
47. Ruchi Kumar. (1 January 2017). "The decline of Afghanistan's Hindu and Sikh communities".
48. (21 June 2016). "Nearly 99% Of Hindus, Sikhs Left Afghanistan in Last Three decades".
49. (20 January 2007). "Afghanistan's hated Sikhs yearn for India". [[Reuters]].
50. Jethra, Aashish. (2010-08-27). "2 Sikhs in Afghan poll fray, want to be first elected non-Muslims". SikhNet.
51. (2013-07-31). "Hindus, Sikhs warn of leaving Afghanistan". Pajhwok Afghan News.
52. "Facing Intolerance, Many Sikhs and Hindus Leave Afghanistan". The Wall Street Journal.
53. [http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/119/article_5843.asp Sikhs struggle for recognition in the Islamic republic] {{Webarchive. link. (30 September 2018 , by Tony Cross. 14 November 2009.)
54. Bogos, Elissa. (2010-01-13). "Afghanistan: Dwindling Sikh Community Struggles To Endure in Kabul". SikhNet.
55. "Sikh woman, man fight against former mujahideen in Afghanistan polls".