Sikh abducted in Afghanistan, community seeks India’s help

WASHINGTON DC: An Afghan Sikh was abducted from the Paktia province in eastern Afghanistan four days ago, the community living in the United States has confirmed.

The man, Nidhan Singh, hails from Tsamkani district in the Paktia province and was employed as a gursewak (helper) at the local gurdwara.

Post his abduction, the Afghan Sikh community in the United States has urged the Government of India to help in the resettlement of Sikhs living in Afghanistan . They have appealed to India to make special arrangements under the Vande Bharat Mission to provide a safe haven for more than 600 Sikhs.

“I have spoken to Sikh member of Parliament Narinder Singh and he has confirmed that officials in the Afghan government have promised to help and find Nidhan,” Paramjit Singh Bedi, the chairman of the Afghan Sikh community in New Jersey said.

Bedi and other community members will send written appeals to former diplomat and Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri, the external affairs minister S Jaishankar and the Indian envoy to the US.

Worried for the lives of the Sikh minorities living in Kabul, Jalalabad and Ghazni, the Sikh community, has been constantly seeking support from India.

Afghan Sikh community leaders have made several appeals to India to accommodate the Sikhs and Hindus from Afghanistan and grant them legal entry with long-term residency multiple-entry visa.