Minority rights; Hindu council seeks possession of two temples

Formally approaches Islamabad mayor requesting handover of Saidpur, Rawal Lake temples

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) has formally approached Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz seeking possession of temples at Saidpur Village and Rawal Lake.

A two-member PHC delegation headed by Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani met with Aziz on Friday and reminded him that the prime minister had said that Hindu religious sites across Pakistan should be handed over to the community.

Saidpur temple is currently in the possession of the Capital Development Authority, while the Rawal Lake temple is in the possession of the Punjab Irrigation Department.

Around six months back, a Senate’s standing committee on minorities had also recommended handing over Hindu properties to the community.

Dr Kumar told The Express Tribune that the Islamabad mayor has assured them he will look into the issue and get back to them by next week. He said that they will visit Saidpur and Rawal Lake with the mayor next week.

He said that Hindus in Islamabad were ready to take care of the temples. Dr Kumar said that Hindu temples in Karachi Customs House and Manora had been handed over to the PHC.  He said that temples are handed over to the community after completion of due process.

The Islamabad mayor told The Express Tribune that he had directed the relevant department to show him the records for the two temples before making a decision.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2016.