PESHAWAR, Feb 3: The Sikhs living in Peshawar and other parts of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas are facing difficulties in educating their children as the religious minority does not have any separate educational institution.

In addition, the literacy rate among the women of the Sikh community is next to nil. “One will be surprised to hear that our girls are being brought up without education,” remarked Saib Singh, who represents over 6,000 Sikh population in Peshawar city district council.

Around 800 Sikh women are living in the provincial metropolis and the adjoining tribal area of Khyber Agency.

Most of them have migrated from the remote Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency a couple of years back.

Some 600 Sikh families are residing in Dabgari Garden area in the downtown of Peshawar. Dogmatically, Sikhs avoid to send their girls to the government and privately-run schools.