Days after a Muslim mob surrounded the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, the birthplace of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak in Pakistan, a Sikh youth, Ravinder Singh, was murdered in broad daylight in Pakistan’s Peshawar.
#BREAKING: Sikh man Ravinder Singh murdered in Peshawar Pakistan, body pumped with bullets by ‘unknown persons’. Usually ‘unknown persons’ in Pak means ISI/ISPR. Ravinder is brother of Pak journalist Harmeet Singh. He was in Peshawar to shop for his wedding. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/Hb8fWKW0mY
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 5, 2020
According to journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, Singh’s body was pumped with bullets by “unknown persons’. Singh was brother of Pakistan-based journalist, Harmeet Singh and was in Peshawar to shop for his wedding.
As per journalist Ravinder Singh Robin, the bullet ridden body of the 25-year-old was found near Chamkini Police Station the checkpoint of Khyber Agency.
#SukhYouthMurdered in Pakistan ; The bullet riddled body of Ravinder Singh (25) was found near #Chamkini Police station the check point if #KyeberAgency . According to police they investigating further . pic.twitter.com/uvxpeXNwlU
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) January 5, 2020
Singh’s brother could be heard saying that how few people belonging to the minority community are left in Pakistan. The government of Pakistan gets the funding to protect the minorities but in spite of that the fact is that I have to pick up the dead body of my brother.
A #SIKHYOUTH Ravinder Singh was killed by unknown persons in #Peshawar . Harmeet Singh who is brother of Ravinder Singh urging media for help. pic.twitter.com/mXksqnUiPx
— Ravinder Singh Robin ਰਵਿੰਦਰ ਸਿੰਘ راویندرسنگھ روبن (@rsrobin1) January 5, 2020
“Till the government of Pakistan brings to justice my brother’s murderers, I will not stop,” he says. “Today I have picked up the dead body. Tomorrow my other brothers of Sikh, Christian, Hindu community will have to face such a situation. You tell the world minorities are safe but we pick up dead bodies of our loved ones every year,” he said.
It is unfortunate that Pakistan treats its minorities as second-class citizens, depriving them of their basic rights and subjecting them to violence and brutality. It is to this end, that the Indian government enacted the Citizenship Amendment Act that intends to grant citizenship to persecuted minorities-Jains, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists and Hindus from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.