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Sikh Activist Gunned Down In Pakistan Laid To Rest


The funeral of Charanjit Singh on May 30.
The funeral of Charanjit Singh on May 30.

Unknown gunmen riding on a motorcycle have shot and killed a respected member of Pakistan’s Sikh minority, officials say.

The funeral of Charanjit Singh was held on May 30, a day after he was killed inside his general store on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar.

The gunmen managed to flee after the attack, which was not claimed by any group.

Sikh elder Baba Amarjit Singh said Charanjit, 52, was a social worker who actively worked to improve interfaith relations.

He was also described as a vocal supporter of the Pakistani military's efforts to crack down on Islamic extremists.

Hindu leader Haroon Sarabdayal said he believed the attack against Charanjit was a targeted killing "since he did not have a feud with anyone."

Most Sikhs went to India during the bloody partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, with only a few thousand remaining in Pakistan.

With reporting by AP and The Express Tribune

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