Third attack on Sikh community in Pakistan: Shopkeeper shot dead in Peshawar

Yudhvir Rana / Jun 25, 2023

Manmohan Singh was shot dead in Peshawar.

AMRITSAR: Tragedy struck the Sikh community in Pakistan as Manmohan Singh, a Pakistani Sikh shopkeeper, was shot and killed by unidentified motorcyclists in the city of Peshawar on Saturday evening. This is the third such incidence in Pakistan this year.

The 29-year old victim operated a cosmetic shop near Rasheed Garhi Chowk, a mere five-minute distance from Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh.

Peshawar-based religious and social activist Baba Ji Gurpal Singh said that Manmohan was attacked by assailants while he was returning home on an autorickshaw. The assailants, riding a motorcycle, targeted him with bullets to his heart and head, resulting in his immediate demise at the scene.

The incident occurred just two days after another Sikh shopkeeper, Tarlok Singh, a Hakim (traditional healthcare professional) narrowly escaped a similar attack. “The three assailants shot five rounds but Tarlok hid under the counter and survived the attack,” Gurpal said.


Tarlok Singh survived a similar attack on Friday.

While terrorist organisation Daesh had claimed responsibility for the attack on Tarlok, Gurpal said that no organisation has claimed responsibility behind Manmohan's killing. He also questioned why the peaceful Sikh community was being targeted by terrorist organisations.

Peshawar’s Sikh community made an earnest appeal to the international Sikh community, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), seeking assistance for their safety and security. Gurpal said that these incidents had ignited deep concerns regarding the safety and security of the Peshawar Sikh community.

Gurpal said that out of the approximately 7,000 Sikh population in Peshawar, a significant number had chosen to migrate to other cities within Pakistan such as Nankana Sahib and Lahore.

“This migration itself reflects the growing concerns for the safety and well-being of the Sikh community in Peshawar, prompting some individuals to seek refuge in other areas of the country” he said.

The last rites of Manmohan Singh would be performed on Sunday, he added.