An elderly Sikh couple was shot dead by unidentified attackers inside a gurdwara in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday. The victims, Jagannath (70) and his wife Asma Wanti, were caretakers of the gurdwara located in Mardan's Babu Mohalla area.
The attackers entered the gurdwara and opened fire on the couple before fleeing. A police guard assigned to protect the shrine was not present when the incident occurred. Investigators also found that the DVR connected to the CCTV cameras was not working.
The killings sparked strong reactions from Sikh and political leaders in India, who raised concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Pakistan.
Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj condemned the brutal killings and asked Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities to take immediate action. He demanded the arrest of the attackers and strict punishment for those responsible.
BJP leader Tarun Chugh said Pakistan has repeatedly failed to protect minorities despite promises made under the Nehru-Liaquat Pact of 1950. BJP spokesperson RP Singh also criticised Pakistan, calling the murders another example of the insecurity faced by minority communities there.
"Pakistan once again stands exposed before the world," Singh wrote on X. Former Pakistani lawmaker Bushra Gohar described the incident as a "cold-blooded killing". She blamed both federal and provincial governments for failing to ensure public safety and called for a fair and transparent investigation.
Gohar said the worsening law and order situation has made Khyber Pakhtunkhwa increasingly unsafe. She stressed that those behind the crime must be brought to justice.
What happened?
As per Pakistani media reports, an unidentified gunman entered the gurdwara in Mardan district and fired at the couple, who lived and worked there as caretakers.
Police and emergency teams rushed to the scene soon after the attack. The victims were later taken to the District Headquarters Hospital in Mardan.
Senior police officers visited the gurdwara, collected evidence and launched an investigation. Officials said they are examining all possible angles and working to identify the attackers.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the killings. He expressed sympathy with the victims' family and the Sikh community and called for quick action against those responsible. He said, "Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had always been a land of diversity, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence".
Akal Takht, BJP raise concerns
Reacting to the incident, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said the murder of Sikhs inside a gurdwara was a serious attack on a vulnerable minority community. He said Pakistan has a duty to protect the lives, property and religious places of minorities. He also questioned whether minorities in Pakistan are truly safe and urged authorities to reveal the motive behind the attack.
Tarun Chugh described the killings as shocking and barbaric. He claimed attacks on minorities, including forced conversions, abductions and violence against places of worship, continue to occur in Pakistan.
Chugh also pointed to the sharp decline in Pakistan's minority population since Partition and questioned whether minority communities were being deliberately targeted.
RP Singh said a place of worship should be a symbol of peace, not violence. He argued that repeated attacks on Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and other minorities show Pakistan's failure to protect vulnerable groups.
He called on Pakistan to explain the motive behind the attack and outline steps being taken to safeguard minority places of worship. Singh added that the incident highlights the challenges faced by minorities in neighbouring countries and the need for justice for the victims.
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