PESHAWAR: A Sikh community leader, Charanjeet Singh, was shot dead by the taliban in his grocery store at the Scheme Chowk on the Kohat Road here Tuesday.
In this photo taken on Tuesday, May 29, 2018, people attend the funeral of Charanjit Singh who was a well-known member of the country’s minority Sikh community and an outspoken critic of the Taliban, in Peshawar, Pakistan. Police in Pakistan say gunmen riding on a motorcycle have shot and killed a human rights activist in the northwestern city of Peshawar. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
Fifty two-year-old Charnjit Singh was gunned down inside his shop in Scheme Chowk area.
“An attacker shot Singh inside his shop and escaped afterwards,” Superintendent of Police Saddar Shaukat Khan said.
The deceased had been residing in Peshawar for decades but his family hailed from Kurram Agency. He owned a store in the metropolis for quite a long time.
The murder caused panic among the community as several Sikhs have been killed in different parts of the city in the past.
Most of the Sikhs residing in Peshawar are those whose families previously resided in different parts of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) but shifted to Peshawar and started a business.
Messages poured in from the Sikh community on the loss.
Here is one by Harpreet Singh Bhatti
Most of the Sikh community resides in Mohalla Jogan Shah where the old temple is located.
It’s been just a week to when internet was celebrating a heart touching initiative & a sight not seen so often of interfaith harmony. An initiative lead by a peace activist from Sikh community, S. Charanjeet Singh, who served Muslim brothers with aftar.Nation today is mourning that very ‘human’.
He had been very popular and respected by everyone. He worked actively in creating and promoting religious harmony.
His death is a big loss and a tragedy that a person like him could not be protected.Pakistan has failed its minorities once again.Though the vibrant Sikh community is revered & deeply integrated in the north west of Pakistan, it has been targeted by militants repeatedly.
This graceful Sikh man killed by militants in Pakistan. S. Charanjeet Singh was a leader of Pushtun Sikhs and will always be remembered!🌺🌼🌺🌹🙏🏼
RIP S. #CharanjeetSingh, We Strongly Condemn the targeted killing of a peace builder and promotor of Interfaith Harmony!