Pakistan condemns beheading of Sikh, says it will step up security

Condemning the beheading of two Sikhs by Taliban militants in Pakistan, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi today said his government would do whatever it can for safety and security of the miniority community.

"We are equally concerned. We condemn that strongly. They (militants) are inhuman. They have (make) no distraction between individuals, ethnicities or religions regardless," Qureshi, who is on a visit here, told reporters.

Asked whether Pakistan would step up security for Sikhs and other minorities in view of the incident, Qureshi said Pakistan has always gone out of its way to welcome Sikhs.

"We will do whatever we can for their security and want them to visit Pakistan," he said. 

"We understand that they have some interests in Pakistan because the religious holy sites we have. Because of that they love to come to Pakistan love to visit Lahore and Punjab.

"They speak the same language and are good friends. We have lot of commonality. We try to improve facilities to facilitate them and improve the conditions of the sites," the foreign minister said.

Two Sikhs who were kidnapped for ransom were found beheaded by the Pakistani Taliban in the country's restive tribal belt on Sunday. Some more members of the minority community are still in the custody of the rebels.

Qureshi said people in India should wake up and realise the situation in Pakistan.

"We have seen the way they butchered the women and children and they way they beheaded their fellow Muslims. What do you expect from them. All I can say is to condemn it. We are fighting against that. We are getting the upper hand," he said.

"My message is to friends in India to wake up and realise what Pakistan is doing. What Pakistan is doing today is in India’s long term interests. If we can successfully defeat the extremists and terrorists in this part it will have a salutary effect in the entire region.

"So this is the time to give Pakistan the ease and the support that is required so that we collectively sit and defeat such inhuman elements," he said.