India lodges strong protest with Pakistan over Nankan Sahib attack, Sikh youth killing in Peshawar

New Delhi [India], Jan 6 (ANI): India on Monday lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over the recent acts of vandalism and desecration at the revered Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and the "targeted killing" of a Sikh youth in Peshawar.
"Acting Pakistan High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah was summoned today to lodge a strong protest at recent acts of vandalism and desecration of holy Gurdwara Sri Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan and the targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar, Pakistan," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
An angry group of local residents pelted stones at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib in Pakistan on January 3. The group was led by the family of a boy who had allegedly abducted Sikh girl Jagjit Kaur, daughter of gurdwara's panthi, last year.
On Friday, India had strongly condemned the "wanton acts of destruction and desecration" at the holy Sikh shrine, the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, and called upon Pakistan to take immediate steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the members of the Sikh community.
New Delhi also shared strong concerns raised by members of civil society, parliamentarians and others at the "continued persecution of religious and ethnic minorities" in Pakistan, including the recent despicable and heinous acts, the ministry had said.
"Government of Pakistan was called upon to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the minority communities in Pakistan, including their places of worship, and take immediate measures to expeditiously bring the perpetrators of such despicable and heinous acts to justice," it added.
This comes after the body of the Sikh youth, identified as Ravinder Singh, was found in the Chamkani police station area of Peshawar on Sunday. He was the brother of an Islamabad-based journalist, Harmeet Singh.
Meanwhile, a delegation of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led by party president Sukhbir Singh Badal met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and submitted a memorandum seeking strict action against Imran Chishti, the man accused of inciting violence against Sikhs in Nankana Sahib. (ANI)