Outrage Over Latest Incident Of Desecration Of Sikh Holy Book In Pak Province

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Islamabad, July 20 (ANI): Another shameless incident of desecrating Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib was reported at the Shikarpur gurdwara in Sindh Province of Pakistan.

The Daily Times reports that some unknown people at Gurdwara Khat Wari Darbar in Store Ganj area of Shikarpur had torn 24 pages of the sacred book causing annoyance and fear among the Sindhi Sikhs.

According to the report, a case has been registered under section 295 Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against unknown person in the local police station.

ASP Tariq Wilayat said that the police are still on the lookout for the actual culprit. However, the recent tussle between the Sikh and Hindu community has created doubts that some local Hindus might be involved. (ANI)

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KARACHI: Instead of visiting the place in person to probe the case, as ordered by the Chief Secretary Sindh, Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police (Special Branch) Shahid Hayat will conduct his enquiry into desecration of Sikh books in interior Sindh from Karachi, Daily Times has learnt.

The Chief Secretary had asked AIG Hayat to probe into the two cases in which most sacred book of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahab was desecrated in northern Sindh district. It has been learnt that AIG will not visit these cities where incidents happened but will conduct his enquiry from Karachi.

On Thursday, eight member Sindh delegation of Sikh Council of Pakistan met with Chief Secretary Sindh told him that they have no trust on the district police of Sukkur and Shikarpur districts where these incidents held and requested him to constitute special team comprises on the officers from Karachi.

CS Sindh assigned AIG Hayat on this case but now he, instead of visiting the cities where these incidents held, will probe both cases while sitting in Karachi. When contacted by this scribe to get his statement, he refused to talk. "I am not allowed to issue any statement," said Hayat.

Sikhs with a tiny population in Sindh is considered as a minority within a minority and after these incidents they are afraid of local powerful Hindus. Despite two consecutive incidents of desecration of holy book, no one from the leadership of mainstream political parties including PPP, PML-N, MQM and PTI or anyone from Sindh government has so far contacted Sikhs of Sindh to assure them the justice in these incidents.

Not any single non-Muslim parliamentarians, who were selected in the assemblies on the seats of religious minorities, took notice of the issue or have raised it in any assembly.

Despite happening of these incidents, Sindhi newspapers and private television channels or even FM Radios did not report the cases, as Sindhi press always remained vibrant, otherwise. Even when Sikh Community contacted the provincial leadership of ruling PPP, they received no response.

"We sent a letter to CM Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah who is also PPP president Sindh to give us time so that we can explain him all three incidents and demand justice, but despite passage of weeks, there is no response," said Chairman Pakistan Sikh Council Sardar Ramesh Singh.

On June 18, 2013 in a local temple run by local Hindu Panchyat, (unofficial community organisation) in Pano Akil town of Sukkur district, some unknown people tore the Sikh's holy book Guru Granth Sahab. Sukkur police refused to register case saying that Hindu parliamentarians are forcing them to resolve the issue at community level.

After massive protests by Sikhs, at last police registered the case. Before police could arrest the culprits, another incident occurred in Shikarpur, where in a Hindu temple some unknown people again tore 24 pages of the holy book.

The actual tussle started when a Hindu caretaker of a local temple Narain Bhajan embossed Hindu symbol on Guru Granth Sahab and signed his own signature and took the photo of the signing ceremony and posted them on social media networking site. Local Sindhi Sikhs reacted severely; rushed to the temple and asked religious leader to issue apology for disrespecting their book.

"Both incidents could possibly be a reaction, in which our Sikh friends asked the Hindu leader to render apologies, but we are not sure and now it's up to the police to find out actual reasons and the culprits behind this," said Sardar Ramesh Singh.