Punjab: First Sikh in Pakistan Army now a Lieutenant Colonel

Punjab: Harcharan Singh, the first turbaned Pakistani Sikh to make history by joining the Pakistan Army, has now become the first Sikh to be awarded the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was born in 1987 in Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak. His promotion to Lieutenant Colonel was approved after a rigorous selection board examination in late 2025. Minorities in the neighboring country have found it difficult to find a place in the structure of the Islamic state. Confirming this, Ramesh Singh Arora, Minister for Minority Affairs of Pakistan’s Punjab, said that while many Christians have served in the Pakistani Army, no Hindu or Sikh could qualify. Singh joined the Pakistani Army as a Captain in 2007 at the age of 20.
Initially serving in the Ordnance Corps, Singh later volunteered for a combat role and was posted to the 12th Battalion of the Baloch Regiment, where he served in difficult operational and border areas, attaining the rank of Major. He said, “Lieutenant Colonel Singh’s success has proven that there are no barriers for minorities in Pakistan, and that only talent speaks for itself and sets the parameters for success. Lieutenant Colonel Singh is an example of equality and unity of all religions in Pakistan. We, as part of the Sikh community, will extend a warm welcome to him the next time he visits his hometown.” Delighted with his brother’s success, Mastan Singh, former president of the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), said, “Lieutenant Colonel Singh is the pride of the city of Baba Nanak and the entire Sikh community.” Currently, Lieutenant Colonel Singh is posted in Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.