IHC reserves ruling on Hindu temple issue

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reserved its judgment on the maintainability of an intra-court appeal against the construction of a Hindu temple in sector H-9/2 Islamabad.

A division bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah reserved the decision after listening arguments from both the sides.

Earlier, the petitioner had said that the construction of a temple should not be allowed in a Muslim country.

At the outset of the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer adopted the stance that the basis of constitution in Pakistan was Islam.

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The chief justice remarked whether the minorities should leave this country. He said the court would not allow the country to be run in a manner similar to India. The court inquired what the constitution stated regarding the rights of minorities.

It urged the petitioner’s lawyer to see the role of minorities in the constitution of the country. The lawyer informed the court that the Council of Islamic Ideology had no role in the affairs related to the administration.

Commenting on the lawyer’s stance, the IHC chief justice asked whether he wanted Muslims in other countries to be dealt in a similar manner. After listening the arguments, the court reserved its judgment.

The 20,000 square feet plot in H-9/2 was allotted to Hindu Panchayat by the Capital Development Authority.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2020.