Mob tears down Hindu temple and torch holy shrine in Pakistan

© provided through The Guardian photograph: Rizwan Tabassum/AFP

A violent spiritual mob has set fire to a Hindu temple in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa place and attempted to tear it to the ground.

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

no person was interior the temple on the time. pictures from the scene which went viral shows the gang chanting slogans and cheers greeting the destruction.

© photo: Rizwan Tabassum/AFP Pakistani Hindu pray on the Shri Krishna temple in Mithi, some 320km from Karachi. A violent spiritual mob currently set fire to a Hindu temple in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa place.

The shrine, which turned into first erected in 1919 earlier than partition divided India and Pakistan, had lately 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 by using a bunch of Muslim lovers.

Police and guards had been stationed outdoor amid safety fears for the temple.

"It was beautifully renovated and the community appreciated the work however it all the time remained below threat from the extremists who destroyed it remaining time," mentioned a local resident who requested anonymity. "i can't say how a great deal it's been destroyed however americans say it's been badly damaged."

Anger had begun to construct up in fresh days after the building of a small property subsequent to the temple, which locals wrongfully believed was an unauthorised growth of the shrine.

talking to morning time newspaper, yet another native resident pointed out: "more than a thousand individuals led by means of some native elders of a non secular party held a protest and demanded the elimination of the Hindu location. Residents of regional villages introduced a protest demonstration a couple of days earlier which turned into completely ignored by means of police."

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

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

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

"Police officers have guaranteed me that they're going to arrest the perpetrators as soon as feasible," he mentioned.

Human rights minister Shireen Mazari tweeted: "Strongly condemn the burning of a Hindu temple by way of a mob in Karak, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. KP government need to make certain culprits [are] brought to justice."

© offered by means of The Guardian safety officers preserve a temple following assaults on Hindu temples in Larkana, in Quetta, Pakistan in 2014. The contemporary incident become the 2d time the Hindu temple in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa place had been destroyed with the aid of a group of Muslim enthusiasts. photo: Waqar Hussein/EPA

Mazari said the government can be investigating the incident. "We as a govt have a responsibility to be sure security and safety of all our citizens and their locations of worship," she referred to.

As an Islamic state, Pakistan has regularly proved adversarial to its Hindu minority and Hindu places of worship have more and more been vandalised or been pursuits of violence. earlier this 12 months a Hindu temple in Karachi was vandalised after blasphemy allegations had been levelled at a local Hindu boy.

In July, Islamic activists blocked the development of the primary Hindu temple in Islamabad by challenging it in the courts. despite the fact, final week, permission became granted by using the state physique, the Council of Islamic Ideology, for the task to head forward.