Hindu temples destroyed in Pakistan
Two Hindu temples, including one built over 150 years ago, were desecrated within 24 hours in Pakistan’s Sindh province.
The first incident happened in Karachi on Saturday morning when the old Mari Mata Temple in Soldier Bazaar was razed to the ground.
Locals said the operation took place while the area was without electricity.
The residents alleged that police vehicles were present to provide “cover” to the men operating the machines, as reported by a Pak media outlet.
“It is a very old mandir. It is said to have been built over 150 years ago,” Shri Ram Nath Mishra, priest of another temple nearby said, adding: “The temple covered about 400 to 500 square yards and there had been talk of land grabbers having their eye on it”.
Authorities had said the old structure was dangerous and might topple any day.
Due to this, the mandir management had temporarily moved most of the deities from the temple.
“But last night the Mari Mata Mandir was just flattened,” Mishra added.
The Hindu community has appealed to the Pakistan-Hindu Council, chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the Inspector General of Sindh police to look into the matter.
In the second incident which took place on Sunday, a gang of dacoits allegedly attacked a Hindu temple with “rocket launchers” in Sindh’s Kashmore region.
The assailants attacked the place of worship as well as adjoining homes belonging to the Hindu community, said a report by Dawn newspaper.
Locals said the men fired indiscriminately, prompting a police unit led by Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Irfan Sammo to reach the scene.
The police official said the dacoits fired “rocket launchers” at the place of worship, which was closed during the attack. He added that it opens annually for religious services conducted by the Bagri community.
“The suspects fled from the scene after the attack. Police are conducting a search operation in the area,” said Sammo.
Police estimate there were eight to nine gunmen invovled in the attack.
Dr Suresh, a member of the Bagri community, said the “rocket launchers” fired by the dacoits failed to explode, resulting in no loss of life.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it was alarmed by reports of “deteriorating law and order in the districts of Kashmore and Ghotki in Sindh, where some 30 members of the Hindu community — including women and children — have allegedly been held hostage by organised criminal gangs”.
“Moreover, we have received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the community’s sites of worship, using high-grade weapons,” the commission said, calling on the Sindh Home Department to investigate the matter without delay.
