Mob attacks and sets hearth to Hindu temple in Pakistan ...

© supplied by The Guardian photograph: Rizwan Tabassum/AFP

A violent non secular mob has set fire to a Hindu temple in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vicinity and attempted to tear it to the floor.

Crowds of hundreds, reportedly led by using native Islamic clerics, descended on the Hindu temple located in the village of Teri, in Karak district, on Wednesday and commenced to tear bricks from the walls and set it on hearth.

no person became internal the temple on the time. pictures from the scene which went viral suggests the gang chanting slogans and cheers greeting the destruction.

© photograph: Rizwan Tabassum/AFP Pakistani Hindu pray at the Shri Krishna temple in Mithi, some 320km from Karachi. A violent non secular mob currently set hearth to a Hindu temple in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area.

The shrine, which changed into first erected in 1919 earlier than partition divided India and Pakistan, had these days gone through refurbishment following an order from the supreme courtroom in 2015. This became the second time it had been demolished, following an incident in 1997 when it had been destroyed through a bunch of Muslim lovers.

Police and guards had been stationed outside amid security fears for the temple.

"It turned into superbly renovated and the neighborhood appreciated the work but it all the time remained below risk from the extremists who destroyed it remaining time," said a native resident who requested anonymity. "i can't say how tons it's been destroyed but people say it's been badly broken."

Anger had begun to construct up in contemporary days after the construction of a small property subsequent to the temple, which locals wrongfully believed changed into an unauthorised expansion of the shrine.

chatting with first light newspaper, a different native resident spoke of: "greater than a thousand americans led through some local elders of a religious birthday celebration held a protest and demanded the removal of the Hindu region. Residents of local villages announced a protest demonstration a few days prior which turned into fully neglected with the aid of police."

linked: Islamic activists halt building of first Hindu temple in Islamabad

The police demonstrated that permission had been given for a peaceful protest, but that the individuals had "taken the law into their own hands" after incendiary speeches riled up the crowds.

Lal Chand Malhi, a baby-kisser from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) celebration, condemned the destruction as "an unfortunate incident".

"Police officers have assured me that they're going to arrest the perpetrators as soon as viable," he talked about.

Human rights minister Shireen Mazari tweeted: "Strongly condemn the burning of a Hindu temple through a mob in Karak, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. KP executive have to make certain culprits [are] delivered to justice."

© supplied by way of The Guardian security officials safeguard a temple following assaults on Hindu temples in Larkana, in Quetta, Pakistan in 2014. The fresh incident become the 2d time the Hindu temple in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa place had been destroyed by a bunch of Muslim fans. picture: Waqar Hussein/EPA

Mazari pointed out the government would be investigating the incident. "We as a executive have a accountability to ensure security and security of all our citizens and their areas of worship," she pointed out.

As an Islamic state, Pakistan has frequently proved antagonistic to its Hindu minority and Hindu areas of worship have more and more been vandalised or been targets of violence. previous this 12 months a Hindu temple in Karachi was vandalised after blasphemy allegations have been levelled at a local Hindu boy.

In July, Islamic activists blocked the construction of the primary Hindu temple in Islamabad with the aid of challenging it within the courts. although, last week, permission changed into granted by means of the state physique, the Council of Islamic Ideology, for the project to head forward.