MARDAN: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Religious and Minority Affairs, Sahibzada Adnan Qadri, visited the Mardan Gurdwara on the directives of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi following the tragic killing of a Sikh couple.

Members of the provincial assembly, including Zahir Shah Toru and Abdus Salam Afridi, along with senior police and district administration officials, accompanied the minister during the visit.

Condemning the incident in the strongest terms, Adnan Qadri announced Rs40 million in financial assistance for the Gurdwara and Rs1 million each for the families of the deceased victims.

Addressing a press conference, the minister said he had visited the Gurdwara on the special instructions of the chief minister and expressed deep sorrow over the brutal murder of the Sikh couple. He said the entire provincial government stood with the bereaved families during this difficult time.

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Qadri stated that Islam is a religion of peace that guarantees protection to non-Muslims and promotes interfaith harmony, tolerance, and coexistence. He emphasized that the killing of one innocent person is regarded as the killing of all humanity in Islamic teachings.

He noted that the Sikh community has lived on this land for centuries and remains an important part of society. He added that the provincial government had been in constant contact with police regarding the case and praised Mardan police for arresting the suspect within 24 hours of the incident.

“The swift arrest of the accused reflects the professionalism and commitment of the police force,” he said, adding that the suspect was not only apprehended but also presented before the public within a day.

The minister criticized the Punjab government for what he described as attempts to politicize the incident, saying such actions were inappropriate and insensitive to the grief of the victims’ families. He said Punjab’s Minister for Minority Affairs should have appreciated the performance of KP Police instead of engaging in criticism.

Qadri also highlighted his party’s commitment to religious tolerance and interfaith harmony, pointing to the establishment of the Kartarpur Corridor during the government of Imran Khan as a landmark achievement for the Sikh community.

He further claimed that while incidents involving minorities in other provinces had not been handled effectively, KP authorities had promptly registered an FIR and arrested the suspect within 24 hours.

Minority MPA Ravi Kumar and the Secretary of Auqaf were also present during the visit.