New Delhi: India on Monday summoned Pakistan’s Chargé d’affaires in New Delhi Syed Haider Shah and lodged a protest with Islamabad “at the recent acts of vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurudwara Sri Janamasthan at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan, and the targeted killing of minority Sikh community member in Peshawar, Pakistan”.
Islamabad was asked “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”.
Meanwhile, the main accused in the vandalism case was arrested and charged with a non-bailable section of the stringent anti-terrorism act and blasphemy, a senior Pakistani police officer said on Monday.
In a statement, the MEA said, “Pakistan’s Chargé d’affaires, Syed Haider Shah, was summoned on Monday to lodge strong protest at the recent acts of vandalism and desecration of the holy Gurdwara Sri Janamasthan at Nankana Sahib, Pakistan.”
The MEA added, “India 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. Government of Pakistan was called upon to ensure safety, security, and welfare of the members of the minority communities in Pakistan, and take immediate measures to expeditiously bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Following stone-pelting by a mob last week that targeted the Nankana Sahib Gurudwara, it may be recalled that India had on Friday lashed out at the “vandalism” in the Gurdwara.
