Hindus, Sikhs living in 'insecurity' in Pakistan

Islamabad, May 6 (PTI) Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan
have demanded protection for the minorities, which was living
in "insecurity" across the country, as they took to the
streets over the killing of a shopkeeper from the community in
Punjab province's Hassanabdal town.
Hindus and Sikhs of Hassanabdal town blocked the G T
Road with the body of Kanhaiya Lal, a 70-year-old shopkeeper
who was shot dead on Wednesday evening while he was returning
home from his shop.
Hindus and Sikhs had protested outside the hospital
where his body was taken for autopsy.
The members of the two communities expressed
resentment at the insecurity of minorities across Pakistan
during the protest.
On Thursday morning, the body was handed over to the
shopkeeper’s relatives for cremation.
As a large number of Hindus and the Sikhs led by PML-N
parliamentarian Araish Kumar were taking the body to the Indus
river for cremation, some people placed the body in the middle
of the G T Road and blocked the traffic.
They shouted slogans against the killing of Lal and
alleged that minorities were not being provided adequate
security across the country.
Traffic on the Rawalpindi-Peshawar stretch of the G T
Road and Hassanabdal-Hazara road was suspended due to the
protest.
The protesters demanded that Lal’s killers should be
arrested and Hindus and Sikhs living in the area should be
provided adequate security.
Lawmaker Kumar said the murder had created fear and
insecurity among minorities. The government had completely
failed to protect minorities, who were being killed and
abducted, he alleged.
The minorities were also being threatened by
influential people of the area, he said.
Kumar said he would raise the murder in parliament.
Lal shifted to Hassanabdal from Battagram after the
October 2005 earthquake.
He was a spiritual healer and a large number of
Muslims and non-Muslims frequently visited him for treatment
of diseases.
66-year-old Ram Singh Sodho, a prominent Hindu
politician of the opposition PML-Q from southern Sindh
province, moved to India to settle with relatives after
tendering his resignation in January.