'Shall not be forgiven': PM's aide vows to thoroughly probe Hindu temple attack

Elements involved in attack have damaged the image of Islam and Pakistan, says Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi

Special Representative to the Prime Minister on Interfaith Harmony, Middle East and Muslim countries Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Thursday said that the elements involved in "attacking places of worship of minorities will not be forgiven".

Around 1,500 people descended on a historic Hindu temple in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Karak district after staging a protest against renovations at an adjoining building owned by the Hindu community.

According to reports, local clerics were not happy with the handover of the temple to the Hindu community. The ongoing renovation further fuelled their anger that set off a chain of events that led to Wednesday’s vandalism, residents told The Express Tribune.

Police on Thursday detained at least two dozen people including several clerics and are looking for further 50 people identified from the videos of the attack.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed also took notice of the tragic incident.

"Attack on the Hindu temple in Karak is very sorrowful and regrettable," Hafiz Ashrafi said in a statement, adding that 31 culprits, including the mastermind, have been arrested.

He said that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees protection to the minorities and added that the elements involved in the attack on the sharine have damaged the image of Islam and the country.

The PM's aide that he is coordinating with the Hindu community, local Muslim leadership and the administration of Karak district on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to resolve the issues.

Ashrafi also announced that he will soon make a visit to Karak along with the leadership of different religious schools of thought. He said that the government is responsible to ensure the protection of the rights of minorities in the country.

"Islam is the religion of peace, security and moderation and teachings of the Holy Quran and Sunnah, and has nothing to do with extremism and terrorism," he said, adding that the elements involved in threatening non-Muslim are not representatives of Islam.

He said that the attack will be thoroughly probed as the incident maligned the image of Pakistan in the world.