KARAK: The district police have arrested more than 31 suspects after a Hindu temple was set on fire and severely damaged by a mob led by supporters of a cleric in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district.
According to details, the district police have also registered a case against 350 people, including JUI-F district leader Maulana Mirza Aqeem for their alleged involvement in the vandalising of the Hindu temple.
Karak DPO Irfanullah informed that the security officials were conducting raids to detain individuals who participated or provoked the mob to demolish the shrine.
A day earlier, an angry mob attacked and set ablaze the shrine of a Hindu saint in Karak. Video clips going viral on social media show hordes of people breaking and desecrating the site while chanting slogans.
The attack happened after members of the Hindu community received permission from local authorities to renovate the building. According to witnesses, the mob was led by a local cleric and supporters of a religious political party.
In a tweet, Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri called the attack “a conspiracy against sectarian harmony”. “Attacks on places of worship of minority religious groups are not allowed in Islam and protection of religious freedom of minorities is our religious, constitutional, moral, and national responsibility,” he added.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed took notice of the incident and fixed the matter for hearing on Jan 5, 2021.
According to a statement issued by the apex court, Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Hindu Council Dr Ramesh Kumar called on the Chief Justice at the Supreme Court’s Karachi registry and raised the issue of “desecration/burning of shrine of Hindu saint Shri Paramhans Ji Maharaj” by a mob in Karak on Wednesday.
The chief justice showed grave concern over the tragic incident and informed MNA Ramesh Kumar that he has already taken cognizance of the matter and has fixed it before a bench for hearing on Tuesday, January 5.
The top judge issued directives to the one-man commission on minorities rights KP chief secretary and Inspector-General Pakistan (IGP) to visit the site of the shrine and submit a report on Monday.
