Hindu and Sikh minorities of Khyber Agency cry for attention

Ashadh Shukla 7, Kaliyug Varsha 5114

Hindus should insist Indian Government to provide all required facilities to these Hindu and Sikh families. If Indian Government can give or offer millions of dollars to help ‘flood victims’ in Pakistan, then why it can’t help to these 70 families ?

Amritsar: More than 70 Sikh and Hindu families who have been displaced from Khyber Agency, Pakistan had taken shelter in Gurudwara Bhai Joga Singh, Peshawar, Gurdwara Punja Saheb. These families had no source of income to feed their families and need urgent relief, food, Non Food Items (NFI) and hygiene kits, informed Director, United Sikhs (US), Majinderpal Kaur on Sunday.

She said due to this displacement the education of children of the displaced families was also seriously affected."40 of the 70 families are in dire straits of which three families do not have a male member and are facing severe difficulties and can barely afford daily expenses of their family members"said she.

Project Director , US, Herdyal Singh said "The situation of Sikh and Hindu residents in the Khyber Agency areas has been bad since an Islamic tax (Jazia) was imposed on them by militants, under a threat of violence, a few years ago". But their situation had further worsened recently due to military operations forcing them to seek refuge elsewhere. The shops of many Sikhs have had to close due to the curfews and worsening conditions. "We appeal to the global community to donate funds which can help relocate Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to safer areas" he said.

Amongst those in need were the families of Satnam Singh and Sardar Singh, who were killed during the fighting between the security forces and militants last October. One of the shells landed on the shops of Satnam Singh and Sardar Singh in Shalobar Chowk of Bara market in the Khyber Agency.

Satnam Singh died on the spot, and Sardar Singh was seriously injured and was admitted for treatment to the hospital nearby, but later died in this hospital said he Kaur said that US Relief Team met with the different government organizations, like FATA Disaster Management Authority , Provincial Disaster Management Authority and the UN organisations to raise the issue of these IDPs to register their families quickly.

Source: timesofindia