Islamabad: Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered Tuesday the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) to start reconstruction of a century-old Hindu temple. The Hindu temple was vandalised and set on fire by a mob in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province last week. The Supreme Court said the attack has caused ‘international embarrassment’ to Pakistan.
The apex court took notice of the attack and ordered the local authorities to appear before it January 5. It also directed the board to submit in court details of all functional and non-functional temples and gurdwaras across Pakistan, ‘Dawn’ newspaper reported.
The attack on the temple in Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Karak district took place Wednesday. It was vandalised by members of radical Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group). The attack drew strong condemnation from human rights activists and the minority Hindu community leaders.
During the hearing Tuesday, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed also directed the EPTB to clear encroachments from temples across Pakistan and take action against officials involved in the encroachments. Justice Ahmed said that the Karak incident had caused ‘international embarrassment to Pakistan’.
Also read: Hindu temple vandalised by angry mob in northwest Pakistan
The EPTB is a statutory board that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary, police chief, and Dr Shoaib Suddle, the head of a commission on minorities’ rights, were also present during the hearing.
Suddle had visited the temple in Karak district and presented a comprehensive report Monday in the case to the Supreme Court. Justice Ijazul Ahsan then questioned the police chief on how the attack could have happened when there was a police check post next to the temple. “Where were your intelligence agencies?” the judge asked.
The police chief told the court that a protest by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was going on near the site on the day of the incident. It was sponsored by Maulana Faizullah. “Out of the six ulema at the protest, only Maulvi Mohammad Sharif incited the crowd,” the police chief said.
The official informed the court that 109 people involved in the attack were arrested. Also 92 police officials, including the SP and DSP who were on duty at the time, were suspended. Chief Justice Ahmed said that ‘suspension was not enough’.
The judge also slammed the EPTB chairman. The judge said the chairman should ‘not sit on the chairman’s seat with government mentality’.
“Your employees are doing business on the land meant for shrines. Arrest them and start the reconstruction of the temple,” Justice Ahmed directed. “Money should be taken from Maulvi Sharif for reconstruction of the shrine,” the chief justice remarked.
Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimates, 75 lakh Hindus live in Pakistan. However, according to the community, over 90 lakh Hindus reside.