2010 Sikh beheadings by the Pakistani Taliban

Beheading of 3 Sikhs in FATA, Pakistan by Pakistani Taliban

2010 Beheading of Sikhs

Part of Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Location| FATA region, Pakistan
Coordinates| 33°01′46″N 69°09′34″E﻿ / ﻿33.02944°N 69.15944°E﻿ / 33.02944; 69.15944
Date| 22 February 2010; 14 years ago (2010-02-22)
Target| Sikh youths

Attack type

| Beheading
Deaths| 2 or 3 (disputed)
Victims| 2 or 3 (disputed)
Perpetrator| Taliban

No. of participants

| unknown
Motive| Refusal to convert to Islam [1]
Part of a series on

Persecution of Sikhs

Part of Sikh history

Issues

India

* Human rights abuses in Punjab, India
* Punjabi Suba movement
* Dharam Yudh Morcha (Rasta Roko Morcha)
* False encounters

Pakistan

* Coerced religious conversion in Pakistan
* Religious discrimination in Pakistan

Afghanistan

* Ethnic cleansing of Sikhs in Afghanistan

Discrimination

* Sardarji joke
* Quebec Kirpan ban
* Quebec Bill 21
* French ban on religious symbols in school
* Turban bans
* Anti-Sikh sentiment in Canada

Incidents

* Execution of Guru Arjan
* Execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur
* Saka Sirhind
* Execution of Bhai Taru Singh
* Chhota Ghallughara
* Vadda Ghalughara
* Saka Nankana
* Rape of Rawalpindi
* 1947 Rajouri and Mirpur massacre
* 1947 Kamoke train massacre
* 1948 Gujrat train massacre
* Operation Blue Star
* Destruction of the Sikh Reference Library
* 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms
* Hondh-Chillar massacre
* Disappearance of Sukhwinder Singh Bhatti
* Killing of Jaswant Singh Khalra
* 2000 Chittisinghpura massacre
* Hate crimes in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks
* Murder of Balbir Singh Sodhi
* Mehjoor Nagar Sikh massacre
* 2010 Sikh beheadings by the Taliban
* Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting
* Arrest of Jagtar Singh Johal
* July 2018 Jalalabad suicide bombing
* Kabul gurdwara attack
* Assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar

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On 22 February 2010, three Sikh men were said to have been beheaded by the Pakistani Taliban groups in the FATA region of Pakistan and their heads sent to a gurudwara in Peshawar, with one of them identified as Jaspal Singh. A Press Trust of India report later quoted sources as saying there was confusion on the exact numbers. It said that two men were beheaded, with bodies of Jaspal found in Khyber Agency and Mahal Singh in Orakzai Agency, while others were being held hostage.[2] Pakistani officials maintained only Jaspal's body was found.[3]

In 2009, Taliban had imposed "jizya" on the community numbering 10,000 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal belt, resulting in many fleeing to other Pakistani cities.[4] The group demanded Rs. 30 million for the release of the abducted Sikhs. According to sources, two of the kidnapped Sikhs were killed after their relatives failed to pay the ransom.[4] Two Sikhs, Sukhjeet Singh and Gurvinder Singh, were later rescued by Pakistani security forces.[3]

It was feared that the incident would adversely affect talks between India and Pakistan scheduled for 25 February. The men had gone to the tribal areas for work but were held by Taliban groups who apparently asked them to convert to Islam. The men resisted the conversion and were then beheaded.[5] Indian government sources stated that their heads were thrown in a common area to create fear in the community. India condemned the incident with its External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna stating that it would figure in the talks.[4]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Three Sikhs beheaded by Taliban in Pak". The Economic Times. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
2. ^ "Three Sikhs beheaded by Pak Taliban". The Indian Express. 22 February 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
3. ^ a b "2 Sikhs rescued from Taliban captivity in Pakistan - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
4. ^ a b c "Taliban Sikh beheading to figure in Indo-Pak talks". NDTV.com. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
5. ^ "Three Sikhs beheaded by Taliban in Pak". The Economic Times. Retrieved 11 June 2021.

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Pakistani Taliban

Leaders|

* Noor Wali Mehsud
* Fazlullah †
* Hakimullah Mehsud †
* Baitullah Mehsud †
* Faqir Mohammed
* Wali-ur-Rehman †
* Dadullah †
* Khalid Mehsud †
* Omar Khalid Khorasani †
* Mangal Bagh †
* Qari Hussain †
* Sher Muhammad Qusab †
* Adnan Rashid

Spokesmen|

* Maulvi Omar (POW)
* Ehsanullah Ehsan
* Muslim Khan (POW)

Alleged/claimed actions|

* Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
* 2006 Dargai bombing
* Assassination of Benazir Bhutto
* Kidnapping of Tariq Azizuddin
* Capture of NATO convoy
* Battle of Bajaur
* 2008 Wah bombing
* Faisal Shahzad
* 2010 Sikh beheading
* 2011 Faisalabad bombing
* PNS Mehran attack
* Assassination attempt on Malala Yousufzai
* 2012 Dera Ismail Khan bombing
* Bacha Khan Airport attack
* Dera Ismail Khan prison attack
* Assassination of Chaudhry Aslam Khan
* 2014 Bannu bombing
* Jinnah Airport attack
* Peshawar school massacre
* Chaman suicide bombing
* Bannu CTD centre attack
* Sarband police station attack
* 2023 Peshawar mosque bombing
* Karachi police station attack

See also|

* Drone strikes in Pakistan
* List of Taliban fatality reports in Pakistan
* Taliban

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*[POW]: Prisoner of war