Hindu temple destroyed, set on fire by mob in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province

New Delhi: A mob of over hundred people led by local Muslim clerics reportedly destroyed and set on fire a Hindu temple in Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

A video clip is going viral on social media, in which a violent mob is seen destroying the walls and roof of the temple. The act against Hindu minority community is widely condemned by human rights activists based in Pakistan and other parts of the world.

Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist), a journalist based in Karachi tweeted, “#BREAKING…A mob led by local clerics destroyed Hindu temple in Karak district of KP. Hindus obtained permission from the administration to extend the temple but local clerics arranged a mob to destroy the temple. Police & administration remained silent spectators @ImranKhanPTI”

#BREAKING…A mob led by local clerics destroyed Hindu temple in Karak district of KP. Hindus obtained permission from the administration to extend the temple but local clerics arranged a mob to destroy the temple. Police & administration remained silent spectators @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/fL6J13YSGN

— Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist) December 30, 2020

Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo), a London-based human rights activist tweeted, “This is new Pakistan! A Hindu Temple was destroyed today in Karak, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, governed by PTI Govt. Police or forces didn’t stop the mob because they were chanting Allah-o-Akbar. A shameful day, Beyond condemnation indeed!”

More shameful that Pakistani interior minister Sheikh Rasheed didn’t utter a word to condemn the incident despite having a press conference to announce cancellation of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The Wali of Riyasat-e-Medina Imran Khan also
didn’t bother to tweet#Karak https://t.co/KwRY0DE7k9

— Dr Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo) December 30, 2020

Rabia Mehmood (@Rabail26), a researcher and journalist also condemned the attack on religious sites. She tweeted, “2020 in Pakistan: Hindu temple in Karak, KP brutally vandalized and demolished by a violent mob. While the Pakistan government is fixated on the rise of hindutva in India, the fascists at home continue attacking non Muslim Pakistanis with impunity”.

2020 in Pakistan: Hindu temple in Karak, KP brutally vandalized and demolished by a violent mob. While the Pakistan government is fixated on the rise of hindutva in India, the fascists at home continue attacking non Muslim Pakistanis with impunity. https://t.co/xlikXXlKny

— Rabia Mehmood – رابعہ (@Rabail26) December 30, 2020

Ihtesham Afghan (@IhteshamAfghan), a human rights activist tweeted, “A hindu temple was demolished by religious extremists in karak today. It is a very shameful moment for us because it reflects the way we treat minorities in our country. You can’t run a federation unless and until the rights of minorities are protected. Strongly condemnable”.

According to Daily Times, a rally was organised by Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), a Sunni Deobandi political party in Pakistan nearby where speakers delivered fiery speeches after which the charged crowd stormed the temple, set it ablaze and razed it to the ground.

It quoted JUI-F KP Amir Maulana Ataur Rahman who said his party has nothing to do with the burning down of the temple as it happened after their party’s rally.