India approaches Foriegn Office over missing Indian Sikh family in Pakistan
Indian diplomatic mission in Islamabad writes letter to MoFA seeking updates on progress made in the case
Pakistani and Indian Sikh devotees gather at the Gurdwara Panja Sahib during the annual Vaisakhi festival in Hasan Abdal. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The Indian High Commission (IHC) has approached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) over the Sikh family that reportedly went missing in Pakistan.
“We have sought information from government of Pakistan” said an IHC spokesperson in Islamabad.
The spokesperson told The Express Tribune that the IHC has written a detailed letter to MOFA to get updates about the missing family.
Related: Sikh family of four go missing in Pakistan
“We have written to MOFA here to investigate and give us information about the missing family” he said.
Four members of a visiting Sikh family from India had reportedly gone missing in what is being termed as the first-ever incident of its kind in Pakistan, officials said on Thursday.
Related: Spate of attacks shake Pakistan's dwindling Sikh community
Authorities fear the incident may spark tension between the two countries.
Around 2,000 Sikh pilgrims – including 1,717 of them from India – were in Pakistan on a 10-day visit to celebrate Baisakhi.
The four-member family from the village of Sandhawala in Faridkot were among those making the pilgrimage to celebrate Baisakhi in Pakistan on April 11. All the other pilgrims have returned home.
According to the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), four members of Sikh family Sunil Singh, 38, his wife Sunita, 27, daughter Huma Kaur, 9, and son Umer Singh, 10, had gone missing from Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassanabdal.
ETPB’s Deputy Secretary Fraz Abbas said that the government was trying to trace the whereabouts of the missing family and that all available resources are being used.
Surprisingly, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), the official body of Sikh community in Pakistan, is silent on the issue so far. The PSGPC was established in 1999 which India’s Sikh termed as a violation of Nehru-Liaquat Pact of 1951. The religious Indian Sikh’s organization SGPC which supreme is body of Sikhisim across the world boycotted four years their pilgrimage from 1999-2003 due to establishment of PSGPC.
During SGPC boycott Bhai Mardan Society started their trip as substitute of SGPC to Pakistan which according to Pakistani Sikh community are not trustworthy Jatha who usually brought with them unwanted persons as well.
PSGPC former President Sardar Bishon Singh said that Indian Sikh family which should be traced as soon as possible. He said that it’s unusual incident and prayed their safe return to India.
The Indian High Commission (IHC) has approached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) over the Sikh family that reportedly went missing in Pakistan.
“We have sought information from government of Pakistan” said an IHC spokesperson in Islamabad.
The spokesperson told The Express Tribune that the IHC has written a detailed letter to MOFA to get updates about the missing family.
Related: Sikh family of four go missing in Pakistan
“We have written to MOFA here to investigate and give us information about the missing family” he said.
Four members of a visiting Sikh family from India had reportedly gone missing in what is being termed as the first-ever incident of its kind in Pakistan, officials said on Thursday.
Related: Spate of attacks shake Pakistan's dwindling Sikh community
Authorities fear the incident may spark tension between the two countries.
Around 2,000 Sikh pilgrims – including 1,717 of them from India – were in Pakistan on a 10-day visit to celebrate Baisakhi.
The four-member family from the village of Sandhawala in Faridkot were among those making the pilgrimage to celebrate Baisakhi in Pakistan on April 11. All the other pilgrims have returned home.
According to the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), four members of Sikh family Sunil Singh, 38, his wife Sunita, 27, daughter Huma Kaur, 9, and son Umer Singh, 10, had gone missing from Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hassanabdal.
ETPB’s Deputy Secretary Fraz Abbas said that the government was trying to trace the whereabouts of the missing family and that all available resources are being used.
Surprisingly, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC), the official body of Sikh community in Pakistan, is silent on the issue so far. The PSGPC was established in 1999 which India’s Sikh termed as a violation of Nehru-Liaquat Pact of 1951. The religious Indian Sikh’s organization SGPC which supreme is body of Sikhisim across the world boycotted four years their pilgrimage from 1999-2003 due to establishment of PSGPC.
During SGPC boycott Bhai Mardan Society started their trip as substitute of SGPC to Pakistan which according to Pakistani Sikh community are not trustworthy Jatha who usually brought with them unwanted persons as well.
PSGPC former President Sardar Bishon Singh said that Indian Sikh family which should be traced as soon as possible. He said that it’s unusual incident and prayed their safe return to India.