Attack on Sikhs: SGPC appeals Centre to raise matter with Pak

Apprehensive over attacks on the Sikh community, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) today appealed the Centre to "immediately" take up the matter with the neighbouring country to ensure safety of the minority community.
"The growing cases of attacks on Sikhs in Pakistan is a very serious matter. We strongly condemn such attacks," president of the apex religious body of the Sikhs, Avtar Singh Makkar said.
He urged External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to immediately take up the matter with the neighbouring country.
Makkar said that tomorrow SGPC will write a letter to Swaraj and also to the New Delhi-based Pakistan High Commissioner.

"We want that our government should immediately take up the matter with the Pakistan government.
"Through the Pakistan High Commissioner, we will also urge Pakistan's government to view the issue seriously to prevent attacks on peace-loving minority community in that country," Makkar said.

"We will also try to seek time from the Pakistan High Commissioner so that we can personally take up the matter with him," he further said.
Makkar said that "Pakistan government has failed to protect the minorities living there."
"Today, Sikhs are being targeted in Pakistan, tomorrow damage can be caused to our shrines," he said.
Notably, among other shrines, Nankana Sahib, the birth place of founder of Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev, is in Pakistan.

Sikhs in Pakistan have threatened to launch a countrywide agitation if the government failed to provide security to them.
On Wednesday, unidentified gunmen attacked members of the community in Peshawar killing one on the spot while injuring two others.
Yesterday, senior Congress leader Amarinder Singh had expressed concern over increasing attacks on members of the Sikh community, living in the restive province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan.