Pakistan's SC takes suo moto cognizance over razing of Hindu temple; 26 persons arrested

In a big development on Thursday, Pakistan's Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of razing of a Hindu temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This came to fore after parliamentarian and Pakistan Hindu Council's Patron in Chief Dr. Ramesh Kumar discussed  issue with Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed. One Man Commission on Mirities Rights, KP Chief Secretary and KP Inspector General of Police have been directed to visit site of incident and submit a report before Pakistan's SC on January 4, 2021. court has fixed matter for hearing on January 5. 

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Hindu temple razed in Pakistan

In a shocking incident of religious intolerance in Pakistan, a shrine of Hindu saint Shri Paramhans Ji Maharaj in Terri vill of Karak district was desecrated and set on fire by a mob on Wednesday. Reportedly, re was an opposition to expansion work of temple. Strongly condemning incident, Pakistan's Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Lal Chand Malhi claimed that some people were trying to defame country. Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan termed attack on temple as "an unfortunate incident" and directed immediate arrest of culprits. Subsequently, 26 individuals belonging to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) party including key leader Rehmat Salam Khattak were arrested by local police.

On or hand, Haroon Sarab Diyal- a Hindu community leader in Peshawar opined that razing of temple had hurt sentiments of Hindus and urged Islamic Ideology Council to take te of it. Casting aspersions on Imran Khan's promotion of religious tourism, he questioned Pakistan Prime Minister on lack of safety for mirity worship places. Pakistan's mirities including Hindus, Sikhs and Christians have often been subject to persecution. Recently, US placed Pakistan on list of countries for particular concern for engaging in or tolerating "systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom". 

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(With PTI inputs)