Three days after an attack on Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan’s Punjab three province by a mob, India on Monday summoned Pakistan’s Charge d’affaires Syed Haider Shah here and lodged a strong protest over the desecration of the holy shrine and killing of a Sikh youth in Peshawar.
Pakistan was called upon to ensure safety, security and welfare of members of minority communities there, the external affairs ministry said adding Islamabad was asked to take immediate steps to bring to justice perpetrators in Nankana Sahib incident and killing of Sikh man.
The External Affairs Ministry statement said Pakistan’s Chargé d’affaires was summoned to lodge strong protest at the recent acts of vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurdwara and the targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar, Pakistan.
India also shared strong concerns raised by members of civil society, parliamentarians and others at the continued persecution of religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan, including the recent despicable and heinous acts. Pakistan was called upon to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the minority communities in Pakistan, including their places of worship, and take immediate measures to expeditiously bring the perpetrators of such despicable and heinous acts to justice.
A Sikh minority community member Ravinder Singh was on Sunday murdered in Peshawar by an “unidentified” gunman, leading to a strong protest from India which condemned the “targeted killing” of the young Sikh man.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Sunday had said Pakistan should stop “prevaricating” and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the crime.
The incident involving killing of 25-year-old Sikh minority community member came two days after a mob attacked, desecrated and vandalized the most revered gurdwara at Nankana Sahib. The victim Ravinder Singh was the brother of Public News anchor Harmeet Singh. He was shot dead in Peshawar by an unidentified man, according to media reports.
Ravinder Singh was a resident of Shangla district at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was in Peshawar for shopping ahead of his planned wedding. His Peshawar visit came soon after he returned home from his Malaysia visit. After killing him, the murderer made a phone call to Ravinder Singh’s family, a media report said quoting the Peshawar police.
“India strongly condemns the targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar that follows the recent despicable vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurdwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib and the unresolved case of abduction, forced conversion and marriage of a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur,” the MEA had said.
India also said Pakistan should stop “prevaricating” and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the crime.
“India strongly condemns the targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar that follows the recent despicable vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurdwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib and the unresolved case of abduction, forced conversion and marriage of a Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur,” the MEA said.
It said the Government of Pakistan should act in defence of their own minorities instead of “preaching sermons” about it to other countries.
The MEA said these reprehensible actions followed the forcible abduction and conversion of a Sikh girl who was kidnapped from her home in the city of Nankana Sahib in August last year.