From vandalism of temples to forced conversions, Pakistani Hindu community remains in shambles

The Hindu community in Pakistan has been under pressure for decades as miscreants have targeted temples and forced abductions and marriages of young Hindu girls. While the Pakistan government claims to be an Ambassador towards rights and freedom of religious minorities, reality on ground shows otherwise.

In the latest incident, a gang of alleged robbers fired mortar shells at the Gulshan Dera Baba Sanwal Shah in Sindh province's Kashmore district, damaging a portion of the compound.  

Locals told IANS that the miscreats had also fired at residences of Ramdas Baghwano Das, Rehari Kumari and others.  

Meanwhile in Karachi’s Soldier Bazar area, authorities have allegedly demolished an over 150-year-old Hindu temple. 

Locals of the area claimed the demolition was being done with the presence of the polce to provide protection and cover 

As per reports, the Mari Mata Temple was demolished in a covert overnight operation on the night of July 14.  

“The operation took place while the area was without electricity. That’s when diggers and a bulldozer arrived to carry out the demolition work. While leaving out the walls and the temple's main gate intact, they demolished the entire structure inside,” said a local resident. 

“It is a very old temple, said to have been built over 150 years ago. We have also heard of stories about old treasures buried in its courtyard," said Shri Ram Nath Mishra Mahraj of a nearby Shri Punch Mukhi Hanuman Mandir. 

Rumours in the area seemed to suggest that the temple was being sold off for an amount of at least 70 million PKR as buyers were looking to construct a commercial building in the premises.  

However, the claim was rejected and denied by the Mayor of Karachi Murtaza Wahab, who confirmed that the temple was intact. 

“Have checked. No such demolition of the Mandir has taken place and Mandir is still intact. Administration has intervened and Hindu Panchayat has been asked to assist police in ascertaining the true facts," he said. 

But the grim reality remains that the Hindu community in Pakistan continues to suffer attacks on their temples while their families have had to go through the trauma of having their young girls abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and then being married off to Muslim men. 

The incident in Kashmore where mortar shells were fired at the Hindu temple and residences of the community is just another addition to the ongoing open and blatant discrimination by extremist elements against the Hindu community.  

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has taken serious notice of the Kashmore attack and has condemned it. 

“HRCP is alarmed by reports of deteriorating law and order in the districts of Kashmore and Ghotki in Sindh, were some 30 members of the Hindu community -- including women and children -- have allegedly been held hostage by organized 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 Sindh Home Department must investigate this matter immediately and take steps to protect all vulnerable citizens in these areas," it added.