MEA: India condemns targeted killing of Sikh community member in Pak's Peshawar

India on Sunday strongly condemned the "targeted killing" of a minority Sikh community member in Pakistan's Peshawar. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Pakistan should stop "prevaricating" and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of the crime.

'Pak should act in defence of their own minorities'

"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 body of 25-year-old Ravinder Singh was found in the area of Chamkani police station on Sunday, who was in the city for a short while to shop for his wedding. This case of cold-blooded murder in Pakistan, only adds on to the multiple cases of discrimination against the minorities by Imran Khan government. Even a report filed by the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) had stated back in December that religious freedom has been affected and deteriorated under Imran Khan's government in Pakistan. 

'We are just a few left here'

The brother of the victim, speaking to the media said, "Such cases are shunned here. Speaking of minorities, only a few of us are left. Minorities are the beauty of a nation. Thousands of rupees in funds flow in the country to safeguard us, be it Sikh, Christians or Hindus, but it is eaten away."

Expressing grief over his brother's death, "Today, I have to pick my brother's body. Till the time the government of Pakistan does not bring the killers of my brother in front of me, I will not sit peacefully. The truth is that we always have to pick up dead bodies. Funds come in our name."

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India condemned Nankana Sahib Gurdwara attack

India had on Friday strongly condemned vandalism at the revered Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan and called upon the neighbouring country to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikh community there. The External Affairs Ministry said members of the minority Sikh community in Pakistan have been subjected to acts of violence at the holy city of Nankana Sahib, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev. 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.

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