People
Sikh Soldier Proudly Represents Pakistan At The Wagah Border:
Amarjeet Singh of Nankana Sahib
NEWS REPORT
Making for a historic moment, a Sikh ranger from Pakistan participated in the traditional daily Beating the Retreat ceremony at Wagah Border, for the first time ever ... As a Pakistani soldier!
People from both the sides of the border welcomed the Sikh ranger with a huge round of applause when he came for the ceremony on Thursday (January 7, 2016) evening. The air filled with applause when he shook hands with his Indian counterpart.
The ranger Amarjeet Singh is a resident of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, now in Pakistani Punjab. He is said to be the first Sikh-Pakistani to join his country’s army.
He joined the Pakistan armed forces in 2005 and completed training this year, after which he was included in the defences forces on the Wagah border.
Talking about his duty for Pakistan, Amarjeet said that he is proud of being a part of the Pakistani army and would happy to lay down his life for the nation.
January 9, 2016
Conversation about this article
1: Balwant Singh (London, United Kingdom), January 09, 2016, 12:00 PM.
Welcome to the 21st Century and its internationalist Sikh!
2: Harinder Singh (Punjab), January 09, 2016, 2:23 PM.
The shining Universal Sikh. India and Pakistan need not be at war. We all used to co-exist peacefully as one nation, before 1947.
3: Sangat Singh (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), January 09, 2016, 3:32 PM.
Sikhs and potatoes are found everywhere except at the bottom of the sea and can satiate every hunger like the Nihang who turns milk into 'samundar' (ocean), a chili pepper into 'larraki' (shrew), etc. There will now be a bigger crowd at Wagah to see this Sikh warrior eyeing India from across the border.
4: Arjan Singh (USA), January 10, 2016, 9:13 AM.
If I had the chance to serve in the defence forces of India or Pakistan, I would not do so. I made a conscious decision to use my talents in the field of Science & Engineering as a young man. Credit to this gentleman for having the courage to serve in this capacity but why do we need to keep laying down our lives for these countries that only cater to the needs of Hindus and Muslims? One has to be suffering from a serious visionary handicap to not see the writing on the wall. It is much better to serve in the defence forces in US or UK, inspite of all the challenges we still face there.
5: Ari Singh (Sofia, Bulgaria), January 10, 2016, 9:42 AM.
Well said, Arjan Singh ji. We Sikhs are suffering from a visionary handicap. Despite all that Guru Nanak taught us, Hindus and Muslims have continued with their shenanigans, and now want Sikhs to lower themselves to their level. Things keep on worsening by the day. Sikhs should focus on healing themselves.
6: Tejinder Singh (Subang Jaya, Malaysia), January 10, 2016, 9:47 AM.
It is a sense of duty that drove Amarjeet Singh to join the armed forces of Pakistan. Though both Pakistan and India are Muslim and Hindu majority, respectively, that doesn't not meant that Sikhs should not join the military of those nations. On another note, it is the Guru's vision that "halemi raaj" be established on the subcontinent. Maybe, in one small, insignificant way, this event is the genesis towards the fulfillment of that lofty vision.
7: Arjan Singh (USA), January 10, 2016, 1:03 PM.
Tejinder ji: This is precisely the problem with the status quo. It seems like the Sikhs have a much higher sense of duty than the other Indian citizens. They are usually the first ones to sacrifice their lives and resources. Sense of duty is like precious 'strands of saffron' and it must be used in a society that gives value to it.
8: Harman Singh (California, USA), January 10, 2016, 2:20 PM.
A Sikh is a citizen of the world. National boundaries do not define us. The only allegiance of the Khalsa is to Waheguru, hence our salutation ... Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji ki Fateh!
9: Tinku (Punjab), January 11, 2016, 8:10 AM.
I am fully with Arjan Singh and Ari Singh on this one. Why do we have to sign up for fighting other people's wars? It does not make any sense and sacrifice is easily forgotten in a short time. Have seen it over and over again. WWII, then India's independence and finally with Indian armed forces, what did we earn from it all? Nothing!
10: Chintan Singh (San Jose, California, USA), January 12, 2016, 2:56 PM.
If a Sikh was to follow the writing on the wall and not his Guru's message, then a Sikh is not a Sikh. Let us not be haters. Instead, continue fulfilling our duty to defend the needy and being the Sant-Sipahis we are supposed to be.
11: Arjan Singh (USA), January 13, 2016, 5:59 PM.
Chintan ji: I agree that we must not forget our Guru's message. But we cannot ignore the ploys of those who wish to bring our downfall. The writing on the wall I am referring to is the 1947 Partition, the 1984 massacres and the current state of affairs in India, etc. I guess you are not aware of the police atrocities specifically targeted at innocent Sikh youth in the turbulent 1980s and 1990s. In India we are taken advantage of and taken for granted. Outside India very few understand our culture and the Sikh physical appearance is misunderstood.
12: Kaala Singh (Punjab), January 17, 2016, 4:55 AM.
The fact of the matter is that after losing their kingdom to the British, Sikhs have been mercenaries for anyone who could pay. They had the brawn but not the brains. England was comparable to Sikh Punjab in land area and population, while the English ruled the whole world with their strategies, the Sikhs could not even retain their homeland of Punjab. England conquered Scotland and Wales and made them allies in their conquest of the world while Sikhs could not rise above the local and clannish differences and lost everything they had. Sorry, guys, I am not enamoured with this Sikh being happy to sacrifice his life for others, just as I'm not by those willing to give their lives for India.
13: Arjan Singh (USA), January 17, 2016, 5:23 PM.
Amen! Kaala ji, I fully agree with your thought process. They say about the Sikh community: "Sheraan di Quom" (A Nation of Lions). I would modify it a bit to describe them as of today: A Nation of Sleeping Lions.