Puneet Singh Chandhok, President of the Indian World Forum on Wednesday, wrote a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, seeking "immediate intervention" for the safety of minorities living in Pakistan as they are repeatedly facing atrocities and are victims of heinous crimes in the country.
In a letter, Chandhok said, "I am writing to you today for seeking your immediate intervention for the safety of minorities living in Pakistan. They are repeatedly facing atrocities and are victims of heinous crimes there. Minorities, in particular, belonging to Hindu and Sikh religions which have close bonds with India are being persecuted." Chandhok in the letter highlighted the persecution of Sikhs and Hindus living in Pakistan.
"Yesterday, alarming reports were received from Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wherein a Papinder Singh, a local Sikh hakim, was shot and brutally injured along with another Sikh passerby who also sustained a bullet injury in a bid to resist an armed robbery by militants belonging to IS-KP an affiliate of Islamic State," said Chandhok, adding "these militias are operating in collusion with the Government of Pakistan."
In 2010, Jaspal Singh, a native of Peshawar, was abducted and beheaded. In 2016, Swaran Singh, Member of Provincial Assembly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and former President of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandak Committee was shot dead and in 2018 Charanjit Singh Sagar, a local Sikh leader of Peshawar, was also shot dead. Again last year Satnam Singh, a prominent Sikh hakim in Peshawar, was shot dead, read the letter.
"These atrocities ranging from abduction, extortion, state-sponsored killings of minorities to forceful conversion into Islam of young Hindu and Sikh girls is a matter of great concern. The decrease in demographics of minorities there portrays a lack of compliance of Pakistan to the UN Charter," said the President of the Indian World Forum in the letter.
He said that irrespective of several appeals and complaints by their parents and guardians to local authorities, the Pakistan government has failed to take any preventive measure or responsive action and on contrary, the administration of Pakistan is instrumental in protecting and shielding all those accused involved in heinous crimes against minorities living there.
At instances the government there has been successful in misleading the International community but however due to the emergence of strong social media the facts and ground reality can't be ignored or hidden, the President of the Indian World Forum said.
The letter further stated that many, including international organizations, have appealed and demanded the Pakistan government hand over the Hindu temples and Gurdwaras and estate to the exclusive control and administration of minorities living there but on the contrary, the administration there has failed to act and protect the sanctity of the same.
This comes after an alarming incident that took place at Sri Nankana Sahib in 2020.
"In 2020 an alarming incident took place at Sri Nankana Sahib which has shaken the entire globe. A state-sponsored mob pelted stones and attacked the Gurdwara Janam Asthan, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, and widely threatened the religious minorities of Hindu and Sikhs living in the area with dire consequences and propagated wiping out of minorities all across from Pakistan. This act is an open abuse of charter of United Nations," the letter said.
President of the Indian World Forum in the letter further stated that the Pakistan government through its various agencies, including its Inter-State Intelligence (ISI), and other organisations repeatedly have purported and funding activities, including militant insurgency and unlawful activities, to sabotage peace and communal harmony in our country, including purporting Kashmir and Khalistan movement.
"It is an open fact that Kashmiri, Khalistani Terrorists and underworld syndicates, including Dawood Ibrahim, have been provided safe heaven there and operate from the Islamic nation. This is a matter of great concern for the International community considering the heinous activities taking place there," said the letter.
Moreover, the President of the Indian World Forum requested the United Nations to immediately investigate the ongoing atrocities on minorities living in Pakistan.
"United Nations is fully empowered to act upon these and considering the same, I request your good self to immediately investigate the ongoing atrocities on minorities living in Pakistan and may also to direct Government of Pakistan to ensure safety and well-being of Hindu and Sikhs and other faiths living there, including protection of their rights," said Chandhok.
Pakistan government must facilitate foolproof sanctity of historical shrines and estates located there and you may take any appropriate action as deemed fit, including enforcing an international ban on Kashmiri and Khalistani terrorists and others, Chandhok added.
Also Read: Pak army chief Bajwa’s back- to- back meet with PM Khan and President Alvi signals political churn
