India on Sunday condemned the alleged murder of a Sikh man in Peshawar city of Pakistan and urged the neighbouring country to take immediate action, PTI reported.
According to news reports, businessman Ravinder Singh was killed in Peshawar by unidentified gunmen. Singh was the younger brother of a local journalist, and was in the city to shop for his wedding, IANS reported. The incident came two days after a mob attacked the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The mob was reportedly led by the family of a boy who had allegedly abducted the daughter of the gurdwara’s pathi last year. A pathi reads the scriptures of the Guru Granth Sahib – Sikhism’s holiest book.
“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 Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
The ministry said Pakistan should stop “prevaricating” and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the culprits. Pakistan should defend its own minorities instead of “preaching sermons” to other countries, the ministry said.
On Friday too, India had strongly condemned the vandalism at the Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, and had asked Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community. However, Islamabad dismissed news reports that the gurdwara had been vandalised by a mob. The country’s foreign office said provincial authorities in Punjab province had informed it that a scuffle had broken out in Nankana Sahib between two Muslim groups at a tea stall. The district administration immediately intervened and arrested the accused. Islamabad reiterated its commitment to upholding law and order, and providing security and protection to people, especially minorities.
Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted that the attack at the gurdwara was against his vision and would find zero tolerance from the government, police and judiciary. However, he said this was different from alleged attacks “across India on Muslims and other minorities”, alleging it was part of the vision of the Narendra Modi government.
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