ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Addressing a verdict in favor of Sikhs residing in Pakistan on October 25, the Pakistani Supreme Court ordered the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics to include a column of “Sikhism” in the block no. 6 of population census form. Earlier, the Pakistani Sikhs were being forced to mark “Other” option on the form of census being conducted in Pakistan after two decades.

“It is utmost necessary for Sikhs to be represented in the census form when the next population census takes place”, said the Pakistan’s Chief Justice while concluding the petition.

It may be recalled here that the Peshawar & Sindh High Court had earlier also ordered the census authorities on March 22 last year to include Sikhism in the religion column of the census form. In April-2017, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics had told the Peshawar High Court that it has included “Sikhism” in block no. 6 of the form to mark religion.