Jazia tax imposed on Sikhs of Khyber Agency

BARA: Lashkar-i-Islam (Army of Islam) has imposed Jazia tax on non-Muslims at the rate of Rs1,000 per year per person on Sikhs living in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency.

The decision was taken at a meeting between Lashkar-i-Islam chief Mangal Bagh and a delegation of the Sikh community held in Speen Qabar on Tuesday.

Lashkar Islam chief assured the delegation that if they paid the tax they would be fully protected from any threat.

About 7,000 Sikhs live in the Khyber Agency.

(More than 300 Sikhs were among those who fled fighting in the districts of Swat and Buner after the Pakistan army launched an operation in those areas.—AP/File)

(Dawn, June 3)