OTTAWA: The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) and United Sikhs have condemned the outrageous attacks on Sikhs in Peshawar Pakistan by Islamic State group’s Khorasan chapter (IS-K). One Sikh shopkeeper, Manmohan Singh lost his life, while in another separate incident a day before, Sikh shopkeeper, Tarlok Singh, was shot and injured. According to WSO, IS-K has claimed responsibility for both attacks. The WSO called on the Government of Pakistan to ensure that the Sikh community is protected and ensure that those responsible for the attacks are brought to justice.
The attacks over the past 48 hours are only the latest in a series of targeted killings of members of the Sikh community in Peshawar. On March 31, 2023, Dayal Singh was shot while sitting in his shop. In May 2022, two other Sikhs were shot and killed.
WSO President Tejinder Singh Sidhu said, “The repeated targeted killing of Sikhs in Peshawar by IS-K terrorists is a crisis that the Government of Pakistan must immediately address. There have been at least twelve such terrorist attacks on Sikhs over the past few years. Sikhs have lived peacefully in Peshawar for centuries and this is clearly an attempt to drive them from their homes.”
He added, “The IS-K repeatedly engaged in targeted killings and terrorist attacks on Sikhs in Afghanistan which resulted in the mass exodus of the community from that country. Pakistan must do all that is necessary to avoid a similar outcome in Peshawar.”
According to UNITED SIKHS, Manmohan Singh was a Sikh man who ran a grocery store in Rashid Garhi, Peshawar. He was the sole breadwinner for his family. He is survived by his wife, a child, elderly parents, a sister and a disabled brother.
“We are appalled by these targeted attacks on Sikh men in Pakistan. These attacks are not only horrific, but they are also a violation of human rights. We call on the Pakistani government to do everything in its power to bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice. This pattern is very scary and seems to be part of a nefarious conspiracy. Sikhs have lived as a minority in Pakistan in peace since 1947. All of a sudden, we have these deadly attacks on hard-working Sikhs? Who is behind them? What is the message? The Pakistan Government needs to investigate this on an emergency basis and put an immediate stop to this attempt of Ethnic Cleansing.”
