Sikh Pilgrims From India Looted By Robbers Posing As Cops In Pakistan

An Indian Sikh family was looted by 'robbers dressed in police uniform' in Pakistan's Punjab province capital Lahore, police said on Thursday.

According to police, Kanwal Jeet Singh and his family members who arrived in Lahore from India to attend Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary festivities had gone to Liberty Market in Gulberg area of Lahore for shopping on his return from Gurdwara Janamasthan Nankana Sahib on Wednesday.

"When the Sikh family came out of a shop two robbers in police uniform stopped them and looted cash and jewellery at gunpoint," police spokesperson, Ehtasham Haider, told PTI.

He said the robbers looted Indian rupees 250,000 and PKR 150,000 besides jewellery from the Sikh family.

After the incident, a good number of people gathered there and accompanied the Sikhs family to the local police station. The station house officer of the Gulberg police informed his superior who reached there.

"A Deputy Inspector General Police held a meeting with the Indian Sikh family and assured them that the robbers would be arrested and their loss be compensated," Haider said.

Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has also taken strong notice of the robbery incident targeting a Sikh pilgrim family and has promptly sought a report from the Lahore police chief.

Naqvi has directed the swift apprehension of the individuals involved in the robbery, emphasising the urgent identification of the suspects through CCTV footage.

He called for the culprits to be brought to justice within 48 hours, deeming the incident of robbing a Sikh family in an area like Gulbarg a grave lapse in security.

Highlighting the seriousness of the situation, Naqvi asserted that any negligence in the matter should be identified, and appropriate action must be taken against the responsible police personnel. He said that Sikh pilgrims are esteemed guests, and ensuring their protection is a paramount responsibility.

Currently, over 2,500 Indian Sikhs are in Pakistan in connection with Guru Nanak Dev's birth anniversary festivities.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)