Lord Rami Ranger slams Pakistan in British Parliament over religious persecution

London [UK], May 18 : Lord Rami Ranger raised the issue of persecution of minorities in Pakistan in the British Parliament in view of the recent killing of Sikh traders in Peshawar.
During the Questions and Statements session in the House of Lords, Rami Ranger made an intervention when Lord Qurban Hussain attempted to rake up the Kashmir issue on May 17.
Two Sikh shopkeepers were gunned down by unidentified assailants in the Bata Tal bazaar in Peshawar. Media reports said the assailants escaped after the targeted killing.
"Lord Hussain knows two Sikh traders in Peshawar were murdered last week because of their religion," Rami Ranger said in a befitting response.
"People in Pakistan like Ahmediyas, like Sikhs, like Christians, Hindus are persecuted, forcibly converted, Shia mosques are attacked... I would like to ask who is supplying arms to terrorists in Kashmir, who is training them, who is encouraging them to create disruption in paradise?" he said.
This comes as hundreds of people die in target killings, military operations and various other incidents of high-degree violence. Those killed include women and members of religious minorities, politicians, security personnel and militants.
Issuing a strong on the issue, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had demanded that the police should identify and arrest the perpetrators promptly. "The government must make it clear that violence against religious minorities will not be tolerated," the HRCP added.
India on Sunday called upon Pakistan to take strict action against those responsible for the brutal killing of Sikh traders in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
India also called upon the authorities concerned to sincerely investigate the matter and take strict action against those responsible for this deplorable incident.