New Delhi, January 5: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India on Sunday condemned the “targeted” killing of a Sikh youth in Pakistan’s Peshawar. The MEA also asked the Imran Khan-led Pakistan government to give punishment to the assailants of the Sikh youth, who was killed days after an unruly mob pelted stones at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan. In the statement, India also mentioned the last year's incident of forceful conversion of a Sikh girl to Islam. Jagjit Kaur Case: Converted Sikh Girl to Return to Her Family, Says Pakistan’s Punjab Governor.

The MEA in the statement said, “India strongly condemns targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar (Pakistan) that follows recent despicable vandalism and desecration of Gurdwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib and unresolved case of abduction, forced conversion and marriage of a Sikh girl.” It further added, “India calls upon the Government of Pakistan to stop prevaricating and take immediate action to apprehend and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators of these heinous acts.”

MEA's Statement:

Earlier in the day, the body of the Sikh youth was found in the area under Chamkani police station Peshawar. The deceased was identified as Rowinder Singh. The 25-year-old youth belonged to Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. According to reports, Singh had come to Peshawar for shopping for a wedding.

Singh was killed days after the Muslim mob pelted stones at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara - the place where the first guru of Sikhs, Guru Nanak Dev was born. On Friday, the mob surrounded the Gurdwara and threatened to destroy the holy shrine. According to reports, the mob was led by the family of a man who last year had abducted and forcibly converted the Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, to Islam. An FIR against the man who abducted Kaur was quashed after both the families decided to resolve the matter between them.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2020 05:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).