13 Taliban Killed, Pak Dismisses India’s Displeasure on Treatment of Sikhs
The Pakistani army, while fighting off a Taliban attack on an outpost near Afghan border, killed at least 13 militants, says an army report. In the meanwhile, Pakistan dismissed India’s displeasure over Taliban imposing tax on Sikhs.
According to an army major, two soldiers died in the pre-dawn attack in the lawless Mohmand tribal region abutting Kunar province of Afghanistan, which is said to be a hub for Taliban.
Taliban militants assaulted the army post following an army offensive a few days ago in the north-west’s Buner region, in which about 60 militants were killed.
“The Taleban attack [in Mohmand] was launched before dawn, troops retaliated and heavy fighting continued until early this morning,” AFP news agency quoted military spokesman Major Fazal Khan as saying.
The army fought the Taleban in Mohmand in March, killing 26 militants.
In the meanwhile, Pakistan has dismissed India’s displeasure over the Taliban imposing tax on Sikhs and demolishing their homes in the restive tribal belt and said that the issue was of “no concern” to New Delhi.
Abdul Basit, spokesman in Pakistan’s Foreign Office, said that Pakistan had answered India’s “verbal demarche” on the issue by making it clear that the Sikhs in this country are Pakistani citizens and are of “no concern of India.”
“Pakistan is fully cognisant of the issue of the Sikhs and of the welfare of all its citizens, especially the minorities,” said.
According to diplomatic sources, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, took up with the Foreign Office yesterday the issue of Sikhs being forced out of their homes in Pakistan’s Aurakzai tribal agency after they failed to pay ‘jiziya’ or tax imposed on non-Muslims.
It was also taken up with the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi by the External Affairs Ministry.
According to sources, the Indian side was told by the Pakistanis that it “need not worry about the Sikhs” and that the move was “tantamount to interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs”.
