Sikh community ‘soldiers of Pakistan without uniform’

The group also protests against India for violating Pakistani airspace

PESHAWAR: In a show of conformity with the armed forces of the country, Sikh community on Tuesday took to streets in the Khyber-Pakhtunkwa (K-P) capital and protested against the Indian intrusion at the Line of Control (LoC).

Earlier in the day, the Indian Air Force (IAF) violated Pakistani airspace near the LoC but its aircraft were chased away by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets, which were immediately scrambled to thwart any aggressive move by the country’s eastern neighbour.

Pakistan Army rubbished the Indian claims of an attack on Pakistani soil which New Delhi said had resulted in “heavy casualties”. Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the IAF warplanes attacked a camp in Balakot, and a “very large number” of militants from the Jaish-e-Mohammad group were killed in the nighttime attack.



Addressing a news conference later, DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor refuted the claim, saying, “Not even a single brick or debris is present there. They are claiming 350 deaths. Even had there been 10 casualties, there would be blood, funeral prayers, injuries.”

The Sikh community, however, condemned the blatant violation of Pakistani airspace by the Indian forces.

Expressing their thoughts in the an Express News forum, the community’s leaders Baba Goriyal Singh, Hardiyal Singh, Paendar Sindh, Balbir Sindh and Sardar Ranjit Singh accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of utilising all tactics to win upcoming national elections.

“Each and every Sikh is a soldier of Pakistan without uniform and the Sikh community stands with Pakistan,” they said, adding that Pakistan can never be coerced into submission. They maintained that 220 million people of Pakistan were all ready to fight alongside the armed forces of Pakistan for the defence of motherland.



Baba Goriyal Singh, the minority minister of the K-P Youth Assembly who is also a social worker, said implicating Pakistan for the Pulwama attack was a blatant lie and a tactic to get votes in the upcoming elections.

He said the armed forces of the country were not only fully prepared but also capable of giving a befitting response to enemy.

Speaking on the occasion, Hardiyal Singh said their hearts, bodies and everything was with Pakistan and the Sikh community would stand with Pakistan in its time of need.

A youth of the Sikh community Pabander Singh said that India always attacks behind the back and its intentions were foiled by the prompt action of the Pakistan army at the LoC.

Balbair Singh belonging to Peshawar said that the Pakistani public is not scared of anyone and Indian threats will not harm them. He said that every Sikh loves the Pakistan armed forces and are always ready for the defense of the green flag.