'Security institutions stood by idly': India lodges strong protest after temple desecrated in Pakistan's Punjab province

India on Thursday summoned Pakistan charge d’affaires and lodged a strong protest on the attack on the Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The attack on the temple occurred in Bhong city of Rahim Yar Khan district, 590 kilometres from Lahore, on Wednesday in reaction to an alleged desecration of a Muslim seminary by a minor Hindu boy. “The attackers were carrying sticks, stones and bricks. They smashed the deities while raising religious slogans,” District Police Officer Asad Sarfraz said. India protests desecration of temple in Punjab province Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday that Pakistani charge d’affaires was summoned and a firm protest was lodged “expressing our grave concerns at this reprehensible incident and the continued attacks on the freedom of religion of the minority community and their places of religious worship”. India called upon Pakistan to ensure the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities. “We have seen disturbing reports on social media of a violent mob attack on a Ganesha temple in Rahim Yar Khan in Punjab province of Pakistan. The mob attacked the temple, desecrated the holy idols and set fire to the premises. In addition to attacking the temple, the mob has also attacked surrounding houses belonging to the Hindu community,” he said. Bagchi contended that incidents of “violence, discrimination and persecution against the minority communities, including attacks on places of worship, have continued unabated in Pakistan.” He added, “Within the last year itself, various temples and gurdwaras have been attacked, including the Mata Rani Bhatiyani Mandir in Sindh in January 2020, Gurdwara Sri Janamsthan in January 2020, and a Hindu temple in Karak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in December 2020.” “These incidents are occurring at an alarming rate while the State and security institutions in Pakistan have stood by idly and completely failed in preventing these attacks on the minority communities and their places of worship,” the spokesperson added. Pakistan CJI takes suto moto cognisance Pakistan’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed took cognisance of the incident on Thursday after meeting parliamentarian Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, the patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. Pakistan’s Supreme Court is set to take up the temple attack on 6 August, and the chief justice directed the chief secretary and police chief of Punjab province to appear for the hearing along with a report on the incident. Following a complaint from a Muslim cleric, police in Bhong village had registered a case under the Pakistan Penal Code on 25 July against a Hindu boy for allegedly urinating in the seminary. A police officer said the boy was arrested last week and booked under the blasphemy laws but subsequently released on bail for being a minor. On Wednesday, ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf parliamentarian Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani posted videos of the temple attack on his Twitter wall, requesting law enforcement agencies to rush to the spot to stop its “burning and vandalising”.

Attack on Hindu temple at Bhong City District Rahimyar Khan Punjab. Situation was tense since yesterday. Negligence by local police is very shameful. Chief Justice is requested to take action. pic.twitter.com/5XDQo8VwgI

— Dr. Ramesh Vankwani (@RVankwani) August 4, 2021

Vankwani met Chief Justice Ahmed on Thursday and informed him about the attack on the temple. Chief Justice Ahmed “showed grave concern over the tragic incident,” said a statement issued by the apex court on Thursday. Imran Khan orders strict action Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Political Communication, Dr Shahbaz Gill, said that the PM Office had taken notice of the sad and unfortunate incident. Imran had directed the district administration to probe the matter and take strict action, he said.

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“Pakistan’s Constitution provides freedom and protection to minorities to perform their worship freely,” Dr Gill added. Earlier in a series of tweets, Vankwani said, “Attack on Hindu temple at Bhong City District Rahimyar Khan Punjab. Situation was tense since yesterday. Negligence by local police is very shameful. Chief Justice is requested to take action.” He further said, “Strict action must be taken against those who attacked Hindu temple at Bhong. In contact with higher authorities. Situation is very critical right now.” “Chief Justice is requested to take action, please. Interfaith harmony is need of time,” he said. District Police Officer Sarfraz said that some 100 Hindu families are living in the area and police have been deployed there to thwart any untoward incident. He said no arrest has been made so far. “Our first priority is to restore law and order and provide protection to the minority community,” Sarfraz said. Another police official said the temple has been damaged badly. “We will arrest those miscreants who incited people to attack the temple,” he said. Previous attacks on Hindu temples in Pakistan In December 2020, a century-old Hindu temple was vandalised by a mob in Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district. The apex court, which took notice of the attack, had ordered authorities to start the reconstruction of the temple that was vandalised by the mob and instructed them to recover the money for the restoration work from the attackers whose act has caused “international embarrassment” to the country. 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 are living in the country. The majority of Pakistan’s Hindu population is settled in Sindh province where they share culture, traditions and language with Muslim residents. They often complain of harassment by the extremists. With inputs from agencies