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You may watch a video appeal from Jaspal Singh’s family here.

18th January 2011, Peshawar, Pakistan – It is almost a year since Jaspal Singh’s family lost their 29- year-old breadwinner when he was brutally beheaded by the Taliban, on the border of the Khyber and Orakzai Agencies in Pakistan. However, his family was not forgotten by UNITED SIKHS and the Sikh community of Bangkok who spent 442,000 Pak rupees (about £3,000 or $5,000 USD) to help them set up a grocery store last month and also paid for their children’s school fees last year.

Jaspal Singh and his other two relatives were kidnapped by Taliban militants while they were travelling to visit family in the Khyber Agency last year. The kidnappers cut their hair, which a Sikh is mandated to keep unshorn, and kept them in captivity for approximately 41 days. The militants then beheaded Jaspal Singh on 20 February 2010. You may read our previous press release on Jaspal Singh’s beheading at http://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-23-02-2010-00.html

“Jaspal Singh’s young family consists of his widow and four children – three boys aged 13, 9 and 6 and a two year old daughter. UNITED SIKHS helped Jaspal Singh’s family by purchasing goods and paying a deposit for a grocery store with donations received from the Bangkok Sikh community,” said Herdyal Singh, UNITED SIKHS Aid coordinator in Pakistan.

“UNITED SIKHS also paid for Jaspal Singh’s children’s education last year. We are now appealing for funds to support their education for the next 10 years or more. Their future is in our hands. Currently their monthly schooling costs are £20 ($32 USD),” he added. You may watch a video appeal from Jaspal Singh’s family here.

 “We are thankful to UNITED SIKHS and the Bangkok Sikh Community who assisted my family. We are touched that our loss has not been forgotten by the Sikh community,” Said Jaspal Singh’s 65 year old father, Peyara Singh.

 “When news of the tragedy of Jaspal Singh Ji reached us, our hearts went out to his family. Let us always remember we are all Guruji's children. We will stand by our brothers,” said Pinderpal Singh, a representative of the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Bangkok Sangat.

 You may donate online at www.unitedsikhs.org/donate or post a cheque payable to UNITED SIKHS and marked ‘Jaspal Singh’s Children’s Education’, to a UNITED SIKHS office nearest to you. For details of our offices see www.unitedsikhs.org/contact.php

To read a previous press release on UNITED SIKHS efforts for Sikhs in Pakistan, please visit:  http://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/PRSRLS-06-10-2010-00.html

You may donate online at www.unitedsikhs.org/donate or post a cheque payable to UNITED SIKHS and marked ‘Jaspal Singh’s Children’s Education’, to a UNITED SIKHS office nearest to you. For details of our offices see www.unitedsikhs.org/contact.php

Issued by:
Mejindarpal Kaur
Director
UNITED SIKHS

Mejindarpal.kaur@unitedsikhs.org