:dateline:Avtar Makkar, President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), has stated that Sikhs in Pakistan are suffering from tragic events. In a protest letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Makkar requested the Government of India to ensure safety of Sikhs in Pakistan through bilateral relations with the government there.
Makkar said that recently a Sikh named Bhai Premjit Singh, and his assistant, were murdered by some people in Pakistan. He said that the two other Sikhs were kidnapped from Dera Ismail Khan, and killed.
Makkar has alleged that these incidents are very painful, and cruel, towards the Sikhs. He also demanded the minorities commission of Pakistan ensure the safety of life, and property, of Sikhs. Makkar said, “this was the responsibility of local governments, but the government of Pakistan seem to fail in this case.”
Although Avtar Makkar is showing sympathy towards Sikhs in Pakistan, at the same time, Sikhs living in India are also being targeted on a daily basis. Very recently, in Amritsar, the holy city of Sikhs, an Amritdhari Gursikh (devout initiate) was attacked by a mob in right in front of the police during broad day light. The Gursikh was humiliated, and his hair was pulled by his attackers after his dastar (turban) was removed. �Not long ago, an extremist Hindu organization Shiv Sena also burned an effigy of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale at Sri Anandpur Sahib. Unfortunately these cases of Sikh persecution are not receiving the attention of Sikh leaders in Punjab.
