Shock, outrage in Punjab over killing of Sikhs by Taliban

The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded immediate intervention of the Prime Minister in ensuring the safety and security of the Sikhs in Pakistan as its ally BJP staged a vociferous protest at the Attari border.

Terming the killings as an outrage against humanity, SAD supremo and Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal asked the Union government to put the issue on the agenda of upcoming Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should intervene to secure the release of remaining members of the Sikh community held hostage by the Taliban," he said in a statement here.

Badal urged Singh to use all diplomatic channels in ensuring the safety and security of the Sikhs abroad.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal asked the Prime Minister to take up the issue of beheading of the two Sikhs with his Pakistani counterpart.

The Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, and the SGPC, the apex religious body of the community, termed the killings as barbaric.
Chanting anti-Taliban slogans, the BJP held a protest demonstration at the Attari border in Amritsar district.
The BJP activists also burnt an effigy of the Taliban and sought Centre's intervention in the matter.

Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma, State Minister Laxmi Kant Chawla and Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu participated in the protest.

Akal Takht Jathedar Gyani Gurbachan Singh said "the Sikhs worldwide are deeply hurt by this barbaric incident."

"The Pakistan government should take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the Sikhs living in that country."

Condemning the incident as brutal, SGPC chief Avtar Singh said "the Prime Minister should take up the matter with Pakistan and ask it to provide adequate security to the Sikh community."

Ravneet Singh Bittu, a Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib, said he would raise the issue in the ongoing session of Parliament.Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann described the incident as "barbaric and inhuman".

"Taliban has once again shown its monster face by targeting innocent Sikhs," he said.
The Punjab unit of the CPI strongly condemned the incident and urged the Union government to take up the issue with Pakistan.

Two Sikhs, who were kidnapped for ransom, were found beheaded by the Taliban in Pakistan's restive tribal belt on Sunday.