Published 22:26 IST, January 6th 2020
India summons Pakistan High Commissioner over attack on Nankana Sahib, killing of Sikh man
The Indian Government on Monday summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah to lodge strong protest against recent attack at Nankana Sahib in Pakistan
The Indian Government on Monday summoned Pakistan's High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah to lodge a strong protest against the recent acts of vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurudwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, and also the targeted killing of a Sikh community member in Peshawar, Pakistan.
The government also shared strong concerns raised by the members of civil society, parliamentarians and others over the continued persecution of religious and ethnic minorities in Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan was also called upon to ensure the safety, security and welfare of the members of the minority communities on its soil, including their places of worship. The Indian government strongly urged Pakistan to take immediate measures to expeditiously bring the perpetrators of such despicable and heinous acts to justice.
Nankana Sahib attacked
On Friday, a video had emerged of a mob of 400 people pelting stones in the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara in Pakistan. Visuals showed the mob surrounding the Gurudwara and pelting stones at what is the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev. Sources also reported that the mob was led by Mohd. Imran Attari -the brother of Mohammed Hassan who was responsible for the forcible conversion of a Pakistani Sikh girl - Jagjit Kaur. No arrests have been made till now.
Sources report that the protestors, comprising residents of Nankana Sahib had proclaimed that they will soon change the name from Nankana Sahib to Ghulaman-e-Mustafa. Moreover, the mob allegedly claimed that 'no Sikh will remain in Nankana'. Reports suggest that several Sikh devotees were stranded inside the Gurdwara which was attacked by the mob on Friday evening.
Imran Khan breaks silence
Breaking his silence on the shocking mob attack on Nankana Sahib, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that the attack is against 'his vision' and will 'find zero tolerance'. Dragging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS, Khan once again accused the Indian government of perpetrating violence against Muslims and other minorities. This brazen attack by the Pakistani PM comes even as he faced humiliation after posting a fake video alleging Police excesses on Muslims in UP - the video was actually from Bangladesh.
Imran Khan went on to say, in his tweet, that there is a 'major difference' between the Nankana incident and what minorities face in India. He alleged that the Indian government including police and judiciary are in cahoots to unleash violence against minorities. He claimed that the RSS vision support minorities' oppression and targets Muslims.
Updated 22:26 IST, January 6th 2020