Sikhs struggle to save culture in Pak through informal school
AT LEAST 22 CHILDREN AGED BETWEEN SEVEN AND 14 REPORTEDLY STUDY IN THE SCHOOL LOCATED ON THE SIXTH FLOOR OF A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING ON MA JINNAH ROAD
KARACHI: There was a semblance of fear in the eyes of Taranjeet Singh when he was asked about the informal school he was reportedly running with his brother in their apartment in Pakistan’s commercial hub Karachi to teach Sikh religion, culture and history to children of the community.
At least 22 children aged between seven and 14 reportedly study in the small classroom of the school located on the sixth floor of a residential building on MA Jinnah Road.
“The classes are no longer being held because children are not coming,” Taranjeet, wearing a red turban, said when asked about a report in a Pakistani daily about the school.
But he was not comfortable answering questions.
The reason behind Taranjeet’s reluctance to speak about the school was explained by Manoj Singh, a volunteer at the main Sikh gurdwara on the Jinnah Road.
CLASSES HELD FIVE TIMES A WEEK
Manoj said they held classes five times a week for Sikh children because it was mandatory for them to get education according to the “Sikh Rehat Maryada”, a guideline for Sikhism.
“We have to teach them about Sikh religion, culture and history,” Manoj said.
Ramesh Singh of the Pakistan Sikh Council says Taranjeet or the Sikh community in general avoid publicity of their activities in the media because of the situation for minorities in Pakistan.
Ramesh said a number of Sikhs, including Taranjeet, had come to Karachi from Khyber Pakthunkhawa due to the insurgency in the tribal areas.
The Tehreek-e-taliban Pakistan had threatened minorities to leave the area unless they paid Jizya, a yearly tax historically levied on non-muslims permanently residing on the Muslim lands.at public schools, Sikhs and other minorities have to study Islamic teachings.
“We have no objection, of course, because Sikhs strongly believe in inter-faith harmony. But we don’t want to forget about our own religion, culture and history,” said Ramesh.
BUILT IN 1930
Ramesh said the community was keen to set up a proper school for Sikh children in Karachi but it was still fighting to get back the control of the Khalsa High School founded by Sikh elders.
The school built in 1930 is under the control of the education department.
Historian Nisar Khuhro said that before the partition, Karachi’s old city area was populated by Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Muslims and Parsis.
“Each of these communities had established their own schools but now, except for some well-known institutions, most of the others have disappeared from the city’s historical landscape. Declared abandoned properties, some of them were either occupied or demolished,” Khuhro added.
Ramesh laments that the community has no space in the city to educate their children according to their religion.
At present, the Pakistan government has a 5% job quota for minorities, but this covers all minority groups living in Pakistan and as per Ramesh, it is not sufficient to provide Sikh men a better future.