India weighs in as Sikhs in Pakistan face attacks

New Delhi: India has strongly reacted to the stone pelting at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan and murder of a Sikh youth in Peshawar. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was quick to react on Sunday after reports emerged of the murder of Ravinder Singh, brother of journalist Harmeet Singh in Peshawar. "Strongly" condemning the "targeted killing of minority Sikh community", MEA asked Islamabad to stop "prevaricating and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of these heinous acts."

Ravinder, 25, got married a few days ago and was coming to Peshawar from Shangla. This was the second statement by India on the situation of Sikhs in Pakistan. On Friday, when stone-pelting happened in front of Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, the birthplace of Guru Nanak, India expressing its "concern", condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration of the holy place". 

New Delhi called up Islamabad to take "immediate steps to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of the members of the Sikh community" and take "strong action" against miscreants who desecrated the Gurdwara. Meanwhile, the Sikh community in Delhi have also strongly protested against the stone pelting at Nankana Sahib. Saturday saw a large protest by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and Akali Dal near the Pakistani high commission in Delhi's diplomatic enclave. 

Reactions have been coming from the Sikh community across the world. Lone Sikh MP of Afghan parliament Narendra Singh Khalsa raised Nankana Sahib Gurdwara violence in the Afghan Parliament on Saturday morning. While speaking in Afghan Parliament, he urged the Afghanistan government to raise the matter with Pakistan government and take action against those responsible for pelting stone at the holy shrine. Preet Kaur Gill, the first female British Sikh MP, tweeted, saying, "This is a worrying concern why is the Sikh community being attacked in Pakistan?" and tagged Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.