Pak Sikhs flee anti-India wave
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AMRITSAR: After the exodus of Sikhs and Hindus from war ravaged Afghanistan, Sikhs in Pakistan are now leaving their country to escape the anti-India wave unleashed by Muslim fundamentalists there who are irked by the Indian government’s support of the US led attacks on Afganistan.
A Sikh family from Peshawar arrived at Attari railway station on the Samjhauta Express, on Friday. Earlier, a couple of Hindu families had bid farewell to Pakistan having been ill-treated by fundamentalists.
About eight Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan were also aboard the train.The arrival of Sikhs from Pakistan could have serious repercussions on the Sikh pilgrimage to Pakistan due later this month, feel security officials here.
Lal Singh and his wife, Gurdeep Kaur (both names changed on request), after disembarking at Attari, said that no matter what happened to them here, they would not return to Pakistan as they feared their Muslims friends, who had turned into fundamentalists overnight, would not spare them.
He said the Sikh and Hindu women were subjected to sexual harassment these days. Many Muslims, in apprehension of an armed conflict between India and Pakistan, had started threatening them with dire consequences, openly claiming that they would take possession of their properties.The father of three, Lal said he would be able to give a better education to his children in India.
The Afghani Sikhs opined that Indian authorities, in this time of crisis, should overlook some of the visa formalities. One Santokh Singh alleged that he had spent Rs 7000 just travelling to and fro to enquire about his visa. They claimed there were around 400 families stuck in Afghanistan. Most of the Sikhs families had taken shelter in gurdwaras. A gurdwara in Kabul had been damaged somewhat, added he. Significantly, the number of passengers travelling on the Samjhuta Express has sharply declined.
According to local railway authorities about 300 passengers arrived here, which was about half the normal traffic.
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