Sikhs in Peshawar hold anti-Pakistan protests

The anger is simmering across the region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as people have taken to streets, protesting against the Pakistan establishment in the wake of murder of a Sikh activist Charanjeet Singh in Peshawar on May 29.

Police have termed it a targeted killing and claimed to have reached counter-terrorist agencies for the same.

However, protestors accuse the satanic collaboration of Islamabad and Rawalpindi behind the killing that has intensified its attacks on marginalised, especially in the run up to the general elections slated next month.

The grieving community says that Islamabad was indifferent to its plights, which were getting increasingly harrowing with the time.

Sikh Chief, Peshawar Radesh Tony in an agitated tone said, "till when are we going to suffer like this? What is the government doing to serve justice to our people? Ten people have been killed till now."

Meanwhile, Sikh Social Activist, Harjeet Singh, said that it was not one isolated incident, and that similar incidents have happened in the past as well.

"Perpetrators of the incidents happened in 2014 have still not been arrested. We request the Pakistan government to arrest those criminals," she added.

Sikhs have remained bereft of basic rights in Pakistan for years. Islamabad has a shady record when it comes to defending human rights of minorities.

A social activist from Khyber Pakhtunkwa, Sana Ejaz, said, the government, instead of assuaging the tense atmosphere of the region, was covertly encouraging such attacks and violence against the minorities for its political gains.

"We believe that it is the duty of the government to protect all citizen of this country whether it is a Muslim, Sikh, Christian or Hindu. However, on the contrary, the government is least bothered about the death of any individual belonging to the non-Muslim community, minority or Pashtun. Government believes that they were born to get killed," Ejaz added.

Pakistan, an expert at dramaturgy, presents itself as an embodiment of secularism in front of international community. However, the truth stands bare that the gory incidents against minorities have taken place under a direct watch and patronage of its authorities.