TAXILA, April 13 The members of Pakistani Sikh community have called upon the government to introduce their religious language - Gurmukhi - as a compulsory subject for Sikh students in schools.

Talking to this correspondent at Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hassanabdal on Monday, they said there are over 2.5 million Sikh students studying in various schools across the country but they are not being taught their religious language, Gurmukhi.

Sardar Mahinder Singh from Nankana Sahib, Sardar Mohabat Singh from Buner, Sardar Gullband Singh from Peshawar, Beena Singh from Fata and Meheet Kaur from Nanakana Sahib said the government should introduce 'Gurmukhi' as compulsory subject for the Sikh students. They complained that there were only three schools in Pakistan where Gurumukhi was being taught. One of these schools is at Nankana Sahib and the remaining two are in Peshawar.

The Evacuee Trust Property Board and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee had established the Nankana school, where Sikh children are taught Gurmukhi as a separate subject from their holy book, Guru Granth Sahib.Though Sikhs constitute a very small minority in Pakistan, they have many cultural, historical and political ties to the country.

The word Gurmukhi means “from the mouth of the Guru.” The traditional scholars believe that the scriptures were first uttered by the Gurus before they were scribed; hence came the term 'Gurmukhi'. The first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak Sahib, devised the Gurmukhi alphabet in the 16th century.

Former President Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee Sardar Soran Singh while talking to this correspondent said there was a dire need for establishment of Gurmukhi schools especially in Buner where a large number of Sikh community lived.

Our children should be taught Gurmukhi, so they can read the Guru Granth. “Private schools cannot afford separate teachers for Gurmukhi. The government should establish a separate institution for Sikh children in the city,” he added.

Sikh parents demanded that the government should also establish a separate institution in Lahore.—Correspondent