Peshawar: Members of the Hindu community in the Hyderabad area of Pakistan's Sindh province staged protests in front of the Hyderabad Press Office and the SSP office over the alleged vandalism of the Rama Pir Hindu Temple, according to local reports. Women and children were part of the demonstrations, in response to the lack of arrests over the vandalism of the Hindu temple.
According to The Express Tribune, a case has been filed against 11 people under other provisions, including charges of attempted murder related to the attack on the temple on Halanaka Road, along with incidents of firing and violence. Some of the accused have been identified as Mahesh, Waqar, Sohail Jatoi, Rafi Banglani and Jameel Ihsan Baledi, among others.
The protesters alleged that a religious ceremony was taking place at the Rama Pir Temple when a fight broke out between some young people from the Hindu community. Later on, a group of men from outside the colony also got involved in the conflict. As many as ten unidentified assailants barged into the temple and began to open fire indiscriminately on the men, women and children present there.
This brawl left four people injured: Rohit Kumar, Sawai Kumar, Ramesh Kumar and Teso Lai. Notably, the minority community in Pakistan has been facing persecution for years now. A majority of them have migrated to other countries for safety. The remaining continue to face oppression in the country.
Minorities not safe in Pakistan
The deplorable condition of minorities in Pakistan, including abductions, murder, rapes and forced conversions have been an alarming concern. The minorities are constantly being murdered and subjected to inhuman brutalities in the name of blasphemy, conversion to Islam and other sectarian differences. Women in these groups are particularly vulnerable to the abuse, as appeals for police intervention usually fall on deaf ears.
Earlier in August, hundreds of individuals from minority and marginalised communities in Pakistan held the first 'Minority Rights March' at the Frere Hall area of Karachi, advocating for their rights and demanding an end to the practice of forced conversions.
In June, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif on Sunday admitted that the country had failed to protect its minorities and that they are facing targeted violence in the name of religion. His remarks came after two separate cases of mob lynchings on blasphemy allegations within a month that have rocked the country and sparked criticism over the state's failure to curb mob violence.
Asif's remarks came as the National Assembly, the lower house of Pakistan's parliament, passed a resolution condemning the recent incidents of mob lynching amid surprise opposition by lawmakers from incarcerated former PM Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), according to Dawn. "Minorities are being murdered daily ….. no religious minority is safe in Pakistan. Even the smaller sects of the Muslims are not safe," he said.
(with agency input)
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