Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a grant of PKR four crore for a gurdwara in the province and PKR 10 lakh each for the families of a Sikh couple who were shot dead inside the place of worship.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Minister for Religious and Minority Affairs Sahibzada Adnan Qadri visited the gurdwara in Mardan district on Monday and expressed solidarity with the Sikh community while condemning the killings.
Announcing the financial assistance of PKR 4 crore for the gurdwara and PKR 10 lakh each for the families of the victims, Qadri said the provincial government stood with the bereaved families and shared their grief over the incident.
The couple, identified as Jagannath and his wife Asma Wanti, were serving as caretakers of the gurdwara in Babu Mohalla in Mardan, about 60 km northwest of Peshawar.
They were shot dead inside the gurdwara on June 17. The suspect, identified as Sher Shah, was later arrested.
Qadri said Islam is a religion of peace that advocates the protection of non-Muslims, interfaith harmony and religious tolerance.
He said the Sikh community has been an integral part of the region since centuries and continues to play an important role in society.
The minister said police were conducting a thorough investigation into the case, and both he and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi were personally monitoring its progress.
The gurdwara, known as Dera Hoti Wala Baba Karam Singh, is a historic structure in Mardan dating back approximately 150 years.
