Two Pak Sikhs beheaded by extremists

Two Pakistani Sikhs have been beheaded, weeks after being kidnapped in separate incidents in the country's tribal north-west, officials say.

Jaspal Singh was taken while travelling in the Khyber district one month ago. His body was found on Sunday.

Mastan Singh was kidnapped in the Orakzai region at about the same time.

The neighbouring regions are home to crime syndicates involved in carjacking and kidnappings, which are known to have links with extremist groups.

A large Sikh community has lived in the area for more than 200 years.

Ransom demand

Officials in Khyber say Jaspal Singh was among seven Sikhs travelling in the tribal district a month ago when a group of armed men tried to kidnap them - but four of them escaped.

Later, the family of Jaspal Singh received a ransom demand for 20 million rupees ($235,000) to be paid by last Saturday.

His body was found when members of his family arrived in the area on Sunday to negotiate his release.

Two other Sikh men still remain in the custody of the kidnappers, officials say.

In Orakzai, Mastan Singh was also kidnapped by gunmen from the Bezot area one month ago.

There was a ransom demand for his release which was not met, officials said.

Many of the Sikhs in the Orakzai and Khyber regions own businesses or farms. But the community has come under increasing pressure as the influence of Islamist militants has grown in the area.

Most of them have moved to Peshawar, and further east to cities in Punjab province.

There have been reports that Sikhs in the region have been subjected to jizya - an Islamic tax that is collected from non-Muslims.