LONDON, Jan 27: In a significant development, a broad-based coalition of leading Sikh organisations, based in the Indian state of Punjab as well as representing the worldwide diaspora, has formally asked India to remove all its nuclear weapons and facilities from the ‘Sikh homeland’ and called upon both India and Pakistan to undertake not to target the territory in case of war.A delegation of leading UK-based Sikhs delivered a document setting out their demands to the Indian and Pakistani high commissions in London. It was also delivered to the UN Security Council via the French Embassy, with France currently holding the presidency of that body.

The Sikhs are looking for the UN to intervene on their behalf if the two governments fail to act on their demands. The demands have also been passed to UN’s human rights bodies in Geneva which have been asked to warn the two states against carrying out any crime against humanity in the ‘Sikh Homeland’.

The Sikhs maintain that they are not a party to the Indo-Pak dispute and, as non-combatants in the event of a war between the nuclear rivals, their population centre and homeland should not face what military experts have said is the likely outcome - a theatre of war in Punjab which becomes a nuclear conflict causing horrific casualties on a massive scale.

They say that since 1947 their nation has not had its sovereign rights respected and has been denied the right of self-determination under international law and it is now effectively unable to defend its people and territory from outside attack.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.