Targeted attack on Sikh community member in Pakistan sparks concerns in India

New Delhi: Islamic State (IS) terrorists targeted and fatally shot a member of Pakistan's minority Sikh community in a late-night assault, according to local police cited by the AP news agency on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the northwestern city of Peshawar. Gauher Khan, a local officer, stated that the attack on 35-year-old Manmohan Singh appeared to be a deliberate act of violence. A thorough investigation into the motive behind the incident is currently underway, Khan added.

Singh was attacked by the assailants as he was returning home from a suburban area. The perpetrators swiftly fled the scene after opening fire on him. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killing, issuing a statement that labelled Singh as a follower of a "polytheistic" Sikh sect in Peshawar.

The terrorist group also boasted about injuring another Sikh individual in the same city the previous day.

Disturbingly, this is the third targeted killing of a member from the Sikh community in Pakistan this year. In a similar incident last month, Sardar Singh was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in the eastern city of Lahore. In April, gunmen also shot and killed Dayal Singh in Peshawar. Moreover, in May 2022, two members of the Sikh community fell victim to gunmen in the same city.

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami on Sunday condemned the murder of a Sikh man in Pakistan.

Thousands of Sikhs from Pakistan and Afghanistan are living in India as refugees after targeted minority killings.

A couple of weeks ago External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Afghan Sikh refugees residing in West Delhi. Expressing concern for their well-being.

Jaishankar stated that there is a strong case for granting multiple entry visas to those desiring to return to Afghanistan to attend to their properties and gurdwaras. He assured them that their concerns regarding citizenship status, passports, and schooling for their children would be addressed promptly.