Pakistan's first Sikh police officer forcibly evicted from Lahore home, claims govt wants community to leave country

Pakistans first Sikh police officer Gulab Singh alleged that he was forcibly evicted from his house in Lahore’s Dera Chahal, on Tuesday. Alleging that treatment of the Sikh community in Pakistan is deplorable, Singh said that he had been evicted from his house by the local police officials and his turban was forcefully opened and hair untied. “This is how Sikhs are treated in Pakistan. I am being targeted. I was dragged out of my own house, my turban was pulled off.” In an interview with  ANI, Singh claimed has that the government wants to forcefully evict the Sikh community from the country. “Since 1947, my family has been staying in Pakistan. Even after the riots, we did not leave Pakistan. Now, we are being forced to leave. My house is sealed with all belongings including my slippers inside. Even this ‘patka’ on my head is an old rag which I just wrapped. I was harassed, beaten and my faith was disrespected.” He also stated that he is filing a court case. “WATCH: #Pakistan’s first #Sikh police officer Gulab Singh was forcibly evicted from his house in Lahore’s Dera Chahal, says, ‘my faith was disrespected, If they wanted me to evict the house then they could have simply sent me a notice’ pic.twitter.com/OWH7Rmjn5z — ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2018 Singh was forced out of his house by officials of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), the parent body of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) following a property dispute, according to Times of India reports. He alleged that ETPB secretary Tariq Wazir had thrashed him. Singh claimed that this was because he had revealed the wrongdoings of the PSGPC president Tara Singh along with Indian Sikh fugitives who had collected donations of Rs 10 to Rs 15 crore from the Sikhs of UK, USA, Canada etc on the name of development of Bebe Nanki Gurdwara but didn’t spend a single penny. 

#WATCH: Pakistan’s first Sikh police officer Gulab Singh was forcibly evicted from his house in Lahore's Dera Chahal. Pleads to the police, 'at least give us 10 minutes we are staying here since 1947. pic.twitter.com/wszl99bNJr

— ANI (@ANI) July 10, 2018

According to India Today reports, Singh had also filed a case against Syed Asif Akhtar Hashmi, the then chairman of ETPB, in the year 2011 for illegally selling Gurudwara property. There have been many incidents of atrocities on minorities in Pakistan. In May, Sikh religious leader Charanjit Singh was shot dead in Peshawar .