Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj has expressed heartfelt condolences to the family of British youth Henry Nowak and prayed to the Almighty to grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to accept His will.In a statement issued here on Friday, the Jathedar said a Sikh man, Vickrum Singh Digwa, had been sentenced by a United Kingdom (UK) court to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years in connection with Nowak’s murder. He said the punishment was justified and in accordance with the law for the crime committed.He stressed that while offenders must be punished according to the law, attempts by certain groups to target the entire Sikh community over the incident, demand a ban on the Sikh article of faith, the Kirpan, and pursue politics driven by hatred or racism appear to be part of a deep-rooted conspiracy.He said efforts were being made to defame Sikhs abroad by using the case as a pretext and urged Sikhs across the world to remain vigilant against such attempts. He also called upon Sikh organisations in the UK to stand with Henry Nowak’s family and support them during this difficult period.Jathedar Gargaj said that, according to information received from prominent Sikhs in the UK, the weapon used by the convicted individual in the murder case was a Pesh Kabz, a Persian dagger, and not the Sikh article of faith, the Kirpan. He emphasised that Sikh principles prescribe the Kirpan as a symbol for protecting the oppressed and upholding justice, not for committing wrongdoing or injustice against anyone.He said the relationship between Sikhs and the United Kingdom spans nearly 200 years. Sikhs fought alongside Britain during the World Wars and contributed significantly to the country’s development through their hard work and dedication.He appealed to communities in the UK, the British government and Sikhs to continue living together in harmony and to identify those deliberately attempting to create divisions, damage communal relations, and spread hatred and racism.