Amarinder, Harsimrat Badal condemn attack at Gurudwara in Kabul

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Bal have strongly condemned attack on a religious garing in a Gurdwara in Kabul in which at least 11 people were killed.

Amarinder Singh described attack as extremely "tragic and unfortunate".

Heavily armed gunmen and suicide bombers stormed a Sikh gurdwara in heart of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Wednesday, killing at least 11 worshippers and wounding as many, in one of deliest attacks on mirity community in country, according to a media report.

"Horrific news coming from Kabul where a barbaric terror attack happened in Gurudwara Guru Har Rai. It's extremely tragic and unfortunate. Request (Afghanistan) President @Ashraf Ghani Ji to find out perpetrators and look after our people," Singh tweeted.

Condemning ghastly attack, Union Minister and Bathinda MP, Harsimrat Kaur Bal said she requests External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to issue immediate instructions to Indian High Commission to ensure safety of Sikhs.

"Shocked to learn about a ghastly terror attack at Gurdwara Sahib in #Kabul. I request EAM @DrS Jaishankar Ji to issue imm instructions to Indian High Comm in Afghanistan to ensure safety of our Sikh brethren trapped re..," she tweeted.

Meanwhile,  Shiromani Akali Dal (S) President Sukhbir Singh Bal also condemned barbaric attack and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up issue of safety of Sikh community with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani urgently.

In a statement here, S President said as per initial reports four persons h been killed even as more than 150 Sikhs were holed up in gurdwara complex. "se people need to be rescued even as quick action needs to be taken to bring to justice those responsible for this cowardly and ghastly act," he said.

Sukhbir Bal said it was unfortunate that Sikhs in Afghanistan h been "victims of forced marris and conversions and killings for more than two deces w but concrete steps h been taken to ensure ir safety".

He said Sikhs were being systematically decimated in Afghanistan due to which thousands h fled country to seek refuge in India.

"w only around 300 Sikh families live in Afghanistan in vicinity of Gurdwaras but even y are t safe with even gurdwaras being targeted as has happened today morning," he ded.

Sukhbir said Sikhs who h been displaced by wave of violence against m by fanatics should be rehabilitated.

He said similarly all Sikh places of worship in Afghanistan should be given due protection by State.