Hundreds of Afghan Sikhs seek evacuation to India

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghan Sikhs have asked the government in New Delhi for the immediate evacuation of their families from the war-torn country to India.

In separate letters to the Indian Embassy in Kabul and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the minority community said their families were under threat from the Islamic State (IS).

The Indian Express reported on Sunday that 650 Sikhs from Afghanistan, seeking evacuation, were still receiving threatening calls from the militant outfit either to leave the country or face consequences.

A Kabul-based representative of the Sikh community told the newspaper: “No one wants to live here now because they want safety for their children. Hence we have made a collective appeal because everyone wants to leave…”

There are 650-700 Sikhs, or 80-90 families, still living in Afghanistan, where Daesh terrorists have once again stepped up attacks.

More than 360 Sikhs from Kabul, 168 from Jalalabad and 80 others from Ghazni have asked the Indian embassy for visas. Up to 30 other Sikhs have also sought passports.

The management committee of Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar in Karte Parwan, in a separate letter to the Indian interior and foreign ministers, wrote: “Conditions here are very volatile and dangerous.”

The committee said after the temple assault, There was another attack on funeral services of Sikhs and explosives were found near the gurdwara. Members of community received calls from anonymous individuals.

The callers allegedly claimed to be ISIS members and “told us to evacuate Afghanistan within 10 days or face attack again. We have taken this threat very seriously…”

PAN monitor/mud