Daily Times

Unknown assailants killed two persons of Sikh community in Sarband area, said the Peshawar police on Sunday. Two persons riding a motorbike opened fire on two shopkeepers of Sikh community selling spices in Bata Tal bazaar of Sarband killing them on the spot.

The deceased were identified as Saljeet Singh (42) and Ranjeet Singh (38). Police collected the evidence and started investigation to arrest the culprits. “CCTV cameras from surrounding areas are also being checked,” he said, adding that a search operation had been launched in the area to nab the suspects who managed to escape.

“Those involved in the incident will soon be unmasked,” the officer said. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan took notice of the incident and order the KP Inspector General of Police to arrest the perpetrators. He added that the incident was an attempt to disrupt the law and order of Peshawar. Government officials and rights bodies voiced their shock and horror at the killings.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and members of his cabinet were among the first to issue condemnations.

In a statement, PM Shehbaz told the chief minister to take steps to ensure the safety of the lives and the property of citizens, especially minorities. He also directed the KP CM to ensure the arrest of the suspects and punish them according to the law. He held “Pakistan’s enemies” responsible for the incident and vowed to “eradicate them from the face of the earth”. He also assured the victims’ families of the federal government’s full cooperation in arresting the suspects.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah criticised the KP government for its failure to protect minorities. He said that he had asked for a report on the incident from the chief secretary and the IG. He noted that this was not the first such incident and several others targeting the province’s Sikh community had occurred in the past.