[Reader-list] Islamic Terror -

[Pawan Durani]

Pakistani Taliban behead 2 Sikhs

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistani-Taliban-behead-2-Sikhs/articleshow/5600667.cms

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Two Sikhs who were kidnapped over a month back
have been beheaded by the Pakistani Taliban in the country's restive
tribal belt in a brutal act by the militants.

Some more members of the minority community are still in the custody
of the rebels.

The body of Jaspal Singh was found in the Khyber tribal region,
located a short distance from the provincial capital of Peshawar,
while the body of Mahal Singh was found in the Aurakzai Agency,
sources said on Sunday night

There was confusion about the total number of Sikhs who were kidnapped
for ransom from the Bara area of Khyber Agency by the Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan. A source said four Sikhs were abducted while another report
said the total number of kidnapped persons was six.

The Sikhs were kidnapped 34 days ago and the Taliban had demanded Rs
30 million as ransom for their release. Two of the kidnapped Sikhs
were beheaded after the expiry of the deadline for the payment of the
ransom, sources said.

Gurvinder Singh and Gurjit Singh are still in the custody of the
militants, sources said.

The kidnapping occurred in an area where there the government has
virtually no control and the militants are in a dominant position,
sources said.

A sizeable number of Sikhs lived in the tribal belt, particularly
Aurakzai Agency, till the Taliban imposed 'jiziya' or religious tax on
them last year. Most members of the community then fled to cities
across Pakistan.