SAMAJ WEEKLY UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
The recent killing of an elderly Sikh couple, Jagannath and Asa Wanti, inside a gurdwara in Mardan, Pakistan, has shocked people around the world. For twenty years, this couple peacefully cared for their place of worship. Their sudden, violent death inside a sacred space brings up a painful and deeply worrying question: Are minorities truly safe in Pakistan?
The Sikh community has deep historical roots in Pakistan, particularly in regions like Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For generations, most Sikhs have lived peacefully alongside their Muslim neighbors, running businesses and practicing their faith. In towns like Mardan, the local community is small—only about fifty families—and they have long relied on mutual respect with the people around them.
However, over the last few years, a dark shadow of fear has grown. There has been a rise in targeted attacks against prominent minority figures, including Sikh businessmen, doctors, and community leaders. What makes the recent Mardan tragedy uniquely terrifying is where it happened and who did it. The couple was murdered inside their own gurdwara, and the primary suspect is a police officer, someone whose job was to protect them.
This creates a severe breach of trust that leaves the community feeling completely exposed.
Are Minorities Safe in Pakistan?
If we look at the facts, religious minorities—including Sikhs, Hindus, dalits and Christians face systemic vulnerabilities in Pakistan. While the Pakistani constitution technically guarantees equal rights and freedom of religion, the daily reality on the ground is often very different.
Minorities are unsafe for several key reasons:
(1) Security Failures: Places of worship are frequently left without proper protection. In the Mardan case, the assigned guard was missing from his post, and the security cameras did not work.
(2) The Culture of Impunity: Extremists or individuals with personal grudges often feel they can attack minorities without facing severe consequences.
(3) Institutional Bias: When the very systems meant to uphold justice—like the police force—harbor individuals who carry out violent acts, minoritarian communities lose faith in the state’s ability to shield them.
(4) The True Measure of Safety: A country cannot be considered safe for minorities just because major violence is occasional. True safety means a community can pray, work, and live their daily lives without the constant, lingering fear of being targeted for who they are.
Conclusion
The quick arrest of the suspect in Mardan shows that authorities can act fast when the international spotlight is on them. However, arresting a criminal after a tragedy occurs is not enough.
To make Pakistan truly safe for its minority citizens, the government needs to implement real, lasting changes. This means providing consistent and active security at religious sites, rooting out bias within the police force, and strictly punishing those who commit hate crimes. Until these steps are taken, tragedies like the murder of Jagannath and Asa Wanti will continue to leave minority communities living in a state of fear.
References
1.https://youtu.be/fbcl5QnlpbY?si=qGaoIVbjUYBj5RZY
2.https://www.udayindia.in/news/sikh-caretaker-couple-shot-dead-inside-gurdwara-in-pakistans-khyber-pakhtunkhwa?hl=en-
3.https://www.dawn.com/news/2008962/alleged-killer-of-gurdwara-caretaker-wife-arrested?hl=en-
