PESHAWAR: The members of Sikh community held a protest demonstration here on Monday against the federal government for not including a column in the national census form for them and appealed to Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan to order resolution to the issue.

Holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands, the protesters shouted slogans for inclusion of a column in the census form for them.

Radesh Singh Toney, the chairman of Peshawar chapter of Sikh Community of Pakistan, said that federal government neglected Sikhs in the census form that caused unrest among them.

“We are also citizens of the country and have similar rights. If transgender people could get special column in the census form then why not our Sikh community,” he questioned.

He said that his community was loyal to the country and played prominent role in Pakistan movement but even then they were neglected for unknown reasons.

Mr Toney said that Sikhs should be given similar rights as mentioned in the constitution otherwise the neglect in the census form would be consider discrimination.

He said that Islam gave equal rights to them but the rulers were neglecting Sikhs despite the fact that they had vast population in different parts of the country. He said that they would start holding protest rallies across the country if rulers did not change their policy.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2017