Explosion in shop near Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Afghanistan's Kabul, no casualty

GS Paul,

Amritsar, July 27

A day after the Taliban regime urged its minority communities to return claiming to have addressed their security concern, a bomb reportedly exploded near the main gate of Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul, Afghanistan. However, no loss of life was reported in the incident.

A month ago, a deadly terror attack was executed by Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) at the gurdwara claiming two lives, including a Sikh, and leaving the holy place vandalized.

Puneet Singh Chandok, president of India World Forum said that the explosion occurred in a shop selling herbal medicines owned by an Afghan-origin Sikh family. “It was an alarming development that the explosion occurred in broad daylight targeting a shop owned by a Sikh ‘hakim’, located in a lane near the gurdwara. The members of Sikh and Hindu community are safe,” he said.

A bomb explosion reported near the main gate of Gurudwara Karte Parwan in Kabul, Afghanistan. Members of Sikh and Hindu communities reported to be safe. Further details awaited: Puneet Singh Chandhok, President, Indian World Forum

(Video Source: Indian World Forum) pic.twitter.com/icWM39lgtW

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2022

A video also went viral in which the owner of the shop selling herbal medicines explained that a ‘time bomb’ was planted at his shop when he was away to have lunch at another place.

Religious minorities in Afghanistan, including the Sikh community, have been targets of violence in Afghanistan.

All claims of the Taliban, that assumed charge of Afghanistan since 2021, fall flat if the repeated attacks on minorities is any indication. It is learnt that around 167 Sikhs and Hindus lived in trouble torn Afghanistan since Taliban took over. Five among them do not possess passports. They all had applied for e-vias (emergency visas).

This number has decreased with the Indian government issuing e-visas to facilitate their safe evacuation.

Chandok said so far 109 e-visas were issued and around 60 applications were still pending. “We urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene as we seek safety of our brethren who have been facing life threat and evacuate them safely at the earliest possible time,” he said.

SGPC has also extended humanitarian assistance by offering air fare and rehabilitation in India. On June 30 and July 14, the Sikh body in collaboration with the World Forum facilitated airlifting 11 and 21 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, including three children and an infant, through special commercial flights from Kabul. They were accommodated at gurdwaras in New Delhi.