Islamabad: A Hindu trader, who was kidnapped
nearly three months ago, has been killed leading to community
members staging a demonstration outside the assembly in
Balochistan province of southwest Pakistan on Friday.
The Hindu Panchayat organised the protest outside the
provincial assembly in Quetta.
Leaders of the Hindu community said armed gangs had been
kidnapping Hindu traders and youths for ransom and killing
them if ransom was not paid.
They demanded that the government should provide security
and protection to Hindus.
Last week, several provincial ministers had assured the
Hindu community that trader Ravi Kumar's killers would be
brought to justice.
They made the assurance while speaking in the Balochistan
Assembly on December 15.
Provincial minister Jay Prakash said Ravi Kumar was
abducted by armed men from the bus terminal in Quetta about 90
days ago.
The abductors killed him after his family could not pay
the ransom that had been demanded, Prakash said.
However, it was not known when exactly he was killed.
Dozens of Hindus have been kidnapped for ransom in
Balochistan over the past two years.
Several Hindu families from the province have applied for
asylum in India.
PTI
First Published: Friday, December 23, 2011, 21:02