Jammu: Sikhs in Jammu on Monday protested against the treatment meted out to the community members by militants in tribal areas of Pakistan and burnt effigies of the Taliban, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.
Led by Sikh Sangat Youth president Avtar Singh, over 1,000 youth took out anti-Taliban rally raising anti-Pakistan slogans in Diagiana ashram area of the Jammu city.
They also blocked the Jammu-Panthankote national highway for over three hours.
"We call upon the international community to intervene into the genocide of the Sikhs and Hindus in Pakistan's Aurakzai agency area," Singh told reporters.
Accusing the Pakistan government of ignoring Sikhs, he said they be provided help by the ruling dispensation.
The Taliban destroyed houses of Sikhs and attacked them at various place of Buner, Swat, Aurakzai agency in North West Forntier Province (NWFP) and forced their exodus from the region.
Several Sikh families have fled from the Aurakzai Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) after they failed to pay 'Jaziya' to the Taliban.
Reports said the Taliban destroyed houses of 11 Sikh families who failed to pay the huge tax of Rs 50 million each till April 29 when the deadline expired.
Protests were held in Nanknagar, Tallab Tilloo, Poonch and Udhampur districts too.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, the Delhi BJP General Secretary R P Singh said that the party is concerned about the safety of Sikhs in Pak.
He also demanded New Delhi to take up the issue with
Pakistani Government so that steps are taken to save the people of Indian origin living in Taliban-ruled areas in
Pakistan.
Taking serious note of Sikhs being driven away, India has conveyed its concerns to Islamabad over the treatment meted out to the minorities in that country.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said India has requested Pakistan to take strong measures to stop atrocities unleashed against a "handful of Sikhs who have remained" in the neighbouring country.
"Recently, you have heard the atrocities being unleashed on the handful of Sikhs who have remained in Pakistan. Indian Government has requested Pakistan to initiate strong measures to stop such atrocities," Singh said.
The Prime Minister was addressing an election rally in west Delhi's Hari Nagar, where a sizeable population of Sikhs reside, wooing voters to exercise their franchise in favour of Congress.
Referring to the lack of peace and stability in India's neighbourhood like Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka,
Singh said India can be affected by these factors and only
Congress has the experience to deal with such challenges.
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