Another Pakistani Sikh Family has Lost its Sole Caretaker & Breadwinner. Can you Hear their Cries of Help?
Another Pakistani Sikh Family has Lost its Sole Caretaker & Breadwinner.
Can you Hear their Cries of Help?
Two consecutive days – 23 June and 24 June – saw two attacks on two innocent Sikh men in Pakistan. On the evening of 24 June, Manmohan Singh, who owned a shop in Rashidgarhi Bazaar of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was going back home in an auto-rickshaw when two motorbike-borne assailants followed him and opened fire, killing him on the spot. The 32-year-old was the sole breadwinner in his family and is survived by his parents, wife, son and a disabled younger brother.
Just a day earlier on 23 June, Pakistani Sikh shopkeeper Tarlok Singh was targeted by assailants who shot at him multiple times and fled the spot. Luckily, he survived, albeit with an injury in his leg. According to a local news platform, the attack was later claimed by one Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
Manmohan Singh (left) was shot dead while Tarlok Singh (right) escaped with injuries.
A Mindless Pattern
The murder and attempted murder of Manmohan Singh and Tarlok Singh respectively indicate the mindless, incessant pattern of targeted killings of religious minorities in Pakistan. Based primarily in and around Peshawar, Pakistan’s tiny ethnic Pashtun Sikh community has been frequently and alarmingly targeted by gunmen multiple times in the recent past.
Only a few months ago on 31 March, Sikh shopkeeper Dyal Singh was shot dead inside his grocery store at Peshawar’s Dir Colony market in broad daylight. On 15 May 2022, Sikh shopkeepers Ranjit Singh and Kuljeet Singh were killed by unidentified gunmen at Batta Tal Chowk bazaar near Peshawar.
The Urgent Need for Relief
Dyal Singh was killed in broad daylight on 31 March 2023.
While nothing can bring these men back or alleviate the pain of their loved ones, UNITED SIKHS has constantly endeavored to stand by the bereaved families of the slain men.
Thanks to the contributions of our donors, we have been providing monetary support to the families of Dyal Singh, Ranjit Singh, and Kuljeet Singh, paying for their household expenses and children’s education.
Additionally, the UNITED SIKHS chapter in Pakistan coordinated with the authorities –submitting paperwork, making rounds of various ministries, following up with government officials and so on – to get a relief package of 3 million PKR sanctioned each for the families of Ranjit Singh and Kuljeet Singh. Likewise, a relief package of 1 million PKR was announced and subsequently disbursed to Dyal Singh’s family.
Ranjit Singh left behind four young children – 3 daughters and a son
Against Human Rights
As an organization that unequivocally believes in recognizing the whole human race as one, UNITED SIKHS condemns the hate-filled, religiously motivated killings of Ranjit Singh, Kuljeet Singh, Dyal Singh, Manmohan Singh, and many others in the past.
Sikhs are vulnerable ‘soft targets’ in Pakistan. This has caused other issues to rise, such as Sikh families being unwilling to educate their girl children.
As of now, UNITED SIKHS has called on the Government of Pakistan to ensure the safety of all its citizens, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, and on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USIRF) to take note of the unmistakable pattern of targeting religious minority groups in the region.
UNITED SIKHS Director in Pakistan, Herdyal Singh, is currently in close contact with the victim’s family. We remain unwaveringly committed to providing them with the support and assistance they need.
Don’t Look Away!
Manmohan Singh’s brother (left) and father (right)
According to news reports, at least 11 Sikhs were killed in targeted attacks in Pakistan in recent times. The killings have caused fear and anxiety among the Sikh community in Pakistan. Many Sikhs have left the country in the last few years, and those who remain are worried about their safety. The killings have also raised concerns about the future of gurdwaras (Sikh place of worship) in Pakistan. If the Sikh population in Pakistan continues to decline, it will become more difficult to maintain gurdwaras in the country.
While the family of innocent Manmohan Singh has lost their sole breadwinner and primary caretaker, they still have you to lean on. In this situation, it is we – UNITED SIKHS – and YOU who must bail them out. We need your invaluable help to assist the family. Not only are our volunteers in Pakistan busy submitting government paperwork on behalf of Manmohan Singh’s family, we are working to provide monthly monetary assistance for at least 5 years to help sustain the family. Additionally, we are looking at making arrangements to help them generate a source of income.
We must stand by them in this hour of need! Your donation is their only hope at the moment!
