The Curious Case of Pashto Speaking Sardars

The Curious Case of Pashto
Speaking Sardars
Sikhs and Punjab; a never ending tale of two variables. Sikhism has always
been associated with Punjab, justifiably, on account of the fact that it
originated within the territorial bounds of Punjab. But with the valiant efforts
of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa, Sikhism found abodes in
lands that stretched from the lush green plains and of swashing waters of
the Five Rivers of Punjab to the sky kissing peaks and velvety meadows of
Kashmir where
“rivulets dance in their waywardness”
And where Poshnool rattles its train and murmurs in a voice which
produces an effect that is tantamount to what was produced on the strings
of Bach, to the snow carpeted valley which engulfs the bewitching city of
Kabul.
Approximately 60,000 Sikhs call Pakistan as their home. A layman would

be surprised when the fact that most of those Sikhs reside in the Frontier
Province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, strikes his head. Peshawar, presumably,
the oldest city of Pakistan, which has witnessed the traumas of centuries
and which holds within its bustling streets and within the walls of Bala
Hisar, giggles and chuckles or cries and sobs, is an abode to almost 20-
30,000 of those Sikhs which make up around 0.01 percent of Pakistan’s
population.1 Peshawar is home to 500 Sikh families. 2 The majority of
Pashtun Sikhs reside in Peshawar, while others remain in the border
regions of Kurram, Khyber, and Orakzai, despite being the victims of
targeted murders and growing terrorism. Gurdwara Bhai Jogan Singh and
Gurdwara Biba Singh are the two most active gurdwaras in Peshawar right
now.
1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism_in_Pakistan
2
Goyal, D., 2022. Explained: The Sikhs of Peshawar, their unique identity, and struggle in Pakistan.
[online] The Indian Express. Available at: <https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/the-sikhs-of-
peshawar-explained-7923180/> [Accessed 2 June 2022].
(Iqbal, 2019)
Figure 1. Pashtun Sikh Boys of Nankana Sahib
The majority of Sikhs residing in Lahore, Nankana Sahib, and other

Pakistani cities are Pashtun. This proportion of the Pakistani population
catenates itself with their Pashtun brethren mainly on the score of linguistic
commonalities that tend to strengthen the bond present between them on
cultural underpinnings. The layer of culture and language is placed at a
level which is above religion in the hierarchy of ideological association.
Out of the 350 Sikh households in Nankana Sahib (which is held in high
esteem by everyone, let alone Sikhs), merely 10-15 are inherently Punjabi
Speaking Sikhs. Every year, a considerable number of Pashtun Sikhs
migrate from the Frontier Province and settle in the metropolitans of Punjab
(mainly Lahore, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad) along with Nankana Sahib, to
which they join their religious dots. In Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Panja
Sahib, whenever there is a local Sangat, the Katha of Shabad is done in
Pashto.
Although many Sikhs in Pakistan and India speak Punjabi (Gurmukhi or

Shahmukhi), the Pashtun Sikh group does not, and their primary language
is Pashto. Some can also speak Hindko and Urdu. The Sri Guru Granth
Sahib contains the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev (Gurbani), which people
may study and follow. They do wear Pathan suits or tie their turbans like
the rest of the population, and the majority of their food comes from the
Pashtun region. Sikhs in KPK are culturally and linguistically related to the
Afghan Sikhs rather than the Punjabi Sikhs.
Another variable which cannot be ignored in this domain is that Pashtun

Sikhs, even though being religiously different from other Pashtuns, have
the same psychology as their Pashtun brethren. Their beliefs in the cultural
paradigms are same as that of Muslim Pashtuns.
The Pashtun Sikhs inhabiting the spaces of Nankana Sahib are somewhat
inclined to being involved in entrepreneurship and business activities and
play a substantial role in peppering the economic purview of Nankana
Sahib. In contrast to the Pashtun Sikhs, Punjabi Sikh families of Nankana
Sahib are more active in the academic field, to which the Pashtun Sikhs of
Nankana Sahib don’t pay that much heed to, in comparison to the former.
This can be demonstrated vividly that not more than five females from the
Pashtun Sikh families have graduated from any educational institutional.
Similarly, the ratio of Male Pashtun Sikh graduates of Nankana Sahib is a
lot less than their Punjabi counterparts.
Pashtun Sikhs are very much attached to their Pashtun identity, the
preservation of which has been done at quite a considerable scale bearing
in the mind the relentless enthusiasm and dedication that they have shown
in this regard. They identify themselves as Pashtuns first rather than
forming their basic identity on religious grounds.
(Hoti, How the Sikhs settled in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2018)
Figure 2. An elderly Pashtun Sikh from KPK
It must also be asserted that the despite holding the same religious ties, the
Indian Punjabi Sikhs do get dejected at the scene of Sikhs speaking Pashto
and not being attached to them on linguistic basis, to some extent at least,
considering the canard that Punjabi and Sikh hold an impregnable bond
that has lasted for centuries and will continue to do so.
It would be plausible to assume that the pivotal role played by the

mainstream media (which mainly includes the Indian Punjabi film industry)
and the Punjabi diaspora which prevails in the Western Hemisphere have
proved to be of great essence in pushing the Pashtun speaking Sikhs to
the fore.
Bearing in mind the fact that the Sikhs residing in countries like Canada,
the US, UK and New Zealand are of Punjabi origin and are in a substantial
number, certain efforts have been taken by them to preserve their Punjabi
origin along with the Punjabi language of course and they become the face
of Sikhism in the Western world and the Western world.
Whatever, there is a sheer demand that Pashtun Sikhs need to be

incorporated in the mainstream and efforts should be made to facilitate and
smoothen the proceedings and mechanisms associated with the
preservation of the heritage of Pashtun Sikhs.

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The Curious Case of Pashto

“rivulets dance in their waywardness”

Approximately 60,000 Sikhs call Pakistan as their home. A layman would

Figure 1. Pashtun Sikh Boys of Nankana Sahib

The majority of Sikhs residing in Lahore, Nankana Sahib, and other

Although many Sikhs in Pakistan and India speak Punjabi (Gurmukhi or

Another variable which cannot be ignored in this domain is that Pashtun

Figure 2. An elderly Pashtun Sikh from KPK

It would be plausible to assume that the pivotal role played by the

Whatever, there is a sheer demand that Pashtun Sikhs need to be

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