Sikh,
Hindu families move to Punjab
LAHORE,
May 2:
More than 150 Sikhs and Hindu families displaced
by violence and fighting between militants and
security forces in Pakistan’s North Western
Frontier Province and tribal areas have moved to
the Punjab province for shelter.
"So far, over
150 Sikh and Hindu families have arrived at
Gurdwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal and
Rawalpindi from places like Buner, Swat and
Aurakzai Agency," Evacuee Trust Property
Board chairman Asif Hashmi said today.
"We have made
arrangements for accommodation, food and security
for the displaced Sikh and Hindu families in all
five major gurdwaras in Punjab," Hashmi said
here.
Hashmi said he was
personally monitoring the arrangements and would
ensure that all facilities are provided to the
Hindus and Sikhs till normalcy returned to their
respective areas.
"We will not
ask them to leave until peace is restored in
their areas," he said.
The ETPB is
responsible for looking after Hindu and Sikh holy
sites across Pakistan and facilitating visiting
and local pilgrims during religious events.
Sikh and Hindu
families had to leave their homes and properties
in Buner and Swat in the NWFP after a military
operation was launched last week to flush out the
Taliban.
The small Sikh
community in Aurakzai tribal region left the area
after they failed to pay jiziya or a tax levied
on non-Muslims by the Taliban. (PTI)
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