Pakistan Supreme Court orders reconstruction of vandalised Hindu temple

Islamabad - The apex court asks authorities to recover money for restoration from the attackers

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered authorities to start the reconstruction of a century-old Hindu temple that was vandalised by a mob in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last week. The court also ordered to recover the money for the restoration work from the attackers whose act has caused “international embarrassment” to the country.

The apex court, which took notice of the attack, also directed the Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) to submit in court details of all functional and non-functional temples and gurdwaras across Pakistan.

The attack on the temple in Terri village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Karak district by members of radical Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party (Fazal ur Rehman group) drew strong condemnation from human rights activists and the minority Hindu community leaders.

During the hearing on Tuesday, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed ordered the EPTB to start the reconstruction work.

Chief Justice Ahmed said the attack on the temple has “caused international embarrassment to Pakistan.”

The court also directed the EPTB to clear encroachments from temples across the country and take action against officials involved in the encroachments.

The EPTB is a statutory board that manages religious properties and shrines of Hindus and Sikhs who had migrated to India following the partition.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary, police chief and Shoaib Suddle, the head of a commission on minorities’ rights, were present during the hearing.

Dr Suddle, who visited the temple in Karak district and presented a comprehensive report in the case to the apex court on Monday after it asked him to probe the attack, told the court that the provincial EPTB “did not protect the shrine”.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan then questioned Inspector General of Police Sanaullah Abbasi 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.

Abbasi told the court that 109 people involved in the attack were arrested. He also said that 92 police officials, including the superintendent of police and deputy superintendent of police were suspended.

Chief Justice Ahmed said that “suspension was not enough”.

The police chief told the court that a protest by the JUI-F was going on near the site on the day of the incident.

“Out of the six ulema at the protest, only Maulvi Mohammad Sharif incited the crowd,” he said.

The judge also pulled up the EPTB chairman, saying he 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.

The controversy over the samadhi erupted many decades ago.