Pakistan: Admin demolishes outdated Hindu temple, one other temple attacked with rocket launchers

Two Hindu temples have been attacked and desecrated in Pakistan’s Sindh province inside a span of simply 24 hours. According to a report in Pakistani information outlet Dawn, on Sunday morning, 16 July, a gang of dacoits attacked a Hindu temple with rocket launchers in Sindh’s Kashmore area. 

The assailants reportedly focused Hindu believers as they attacked the temple and the adjoining houses belonging to Hindus. They opened hearth indiscriminately on the temple and adjoining homes. 

After the firing incident, a neighborhood police unit headed by Kashmore-Kandhkot SSP Irfan Sammo reached the spot. According to the police official, the assailants fired “rocket launchers” on the place of worship which was closed on the time of the assault. Police estimated that there have been eight to 9 gunmen concerned within the assault.

The police official knowledgeable that the temple opens yearly for non secular companies carried out by the Bagri neighborhood, the Dawn reported. 

SSP Sammo stated, “The suspects fled from the scene after the attack. Police are conducting a search operation in the area.” He added that there have been round eight to 9 gunmen and so they have been monitoring them within the riverine areas. 

Dr. Suresh is a member of the Bagri neighborhood. He knowledgeable that the dacoits fired “rocket launchers” however they didn’t explode, leading to no lack of life.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, round 30 Hindus together with ladies and kids, have been allegedly held hostage by organised prison gangs.

HRCP is alarmed by experiences of deteriorating regulation and order within the districts of Kashmore and Ghotki in Sindh, the place some 30 members of the Hindu neighborhood – together with ladies and kids – have allegedly been held hostage by organised prison gangs.

— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) July 16, 2023

The fee additionally expressed issues that the criminals have threatened to assault Hindu temples with high-graded weapons. It stated, “Moreover, we have received disturbing reports that these gangs have threatened to attack the community’s sites of worship, using high-grade weapons.” 

It additionally referred to as on the Sindh Home Department to analyze the matter immediately.

150 years outdated Mari Mata Temple bulldozed

In an appalling incident of hate crime, one other Hindu temple was attacked lower than 24 hours earlier than the Kashmore temple assault. An over 150-year-old Hindu temple was demolished in Karachi’s Soldier Bazaar on Friday evening utilizing diggers and bulldozers, reported Dawn on the sixteenth of July. 

The outdated Mari Mata Temple in Soldier Bazaar was razed to the bottom by the native authorities. According to the Dawn report, locals claimed that the authorities carried out the demolition whereas the realm was with out electrical energy. They added that police autos have been current to supply “cover” to the lads working the machines. 

Except for the outer partitions and the temple’s foremost gate, diggers and a bulldozer demolished your complete construction. 

Shri Ram Nath Mishra is a priest of a close-by Shri Punch Mukhi Hanuman Mandir. He stated, “It is a very old mandir. It is said to have been built over 150 years ago. The temple covered about 400 to 500 square yards and there had been talk of land grabbers having their eye on it. But last night the Mari Mata Mandir was just flattened.”

He added that the Mandir was managed by the Madrasi Hindu neighborhood of Karachi. 

The native authorities claimed that the outdated construction was harmful and may topple any day. They added that resulting from this, the mandir administration briefly moved a lot of the deities from the temple. 

However, a member of the Madrasi Hindu neighborhood alleged that they have been being compelled to vacate by two individuals, particularly, Imran Hashmi and Rekha AKA Nagin Bai. He added that there have been talks of promoting the temple for an quantity of 70 million rupees and the patrons had been planning to construct a industrial constructing there. It has been alleged that cast paperwork within the title of a person named Navaid have been created to remodel the plot’s lease right into a industrial one.

The Hindu neighborhood has urged the Pakistan-Hindu Council, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and the Inspector General of Sindh Police to look into the matter.