Hindus condemn attack on temple

Demand foolproof security measures to protect them and their places of worship

KARACHI:

Dozens of Hindus protestors staged a demo outside the Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, carrying placards against the incessant defacing the worship places, demanding of the state to provide security to them.

The charged protestors, including women and children, from Narainpura and other adjacent areas of the old town chanted slogans against the 'insecure' environment being faced by minorities, especially Hindu communities.

"This is not the first time," commented a participant, Mohan. "Our worship places have been vandalized during the past few years," he pointed out. "This does not stop. It creates fear amongst our women and children and even our youth," he mentioned. "It is state's responsibility to ensure safety to its citizens without any discrimination," he demanded.

A woman protestor said, "We are citizens like Muslim and Christians."

The protestors said that they had assembled outside the KPC to register a protest against the recent attack on a temple located in Narainpura.

On Monday, a man identified as Waleed Muhammad Shabeer, attacked the idols in the temple with a hammer. He also misbehaved with the caretaker woman, present in the temple.

The area residents caught the suspect red-handed and handed over to the area police.

Meanwhile, city SP, Sarfaraz Nawaz told The Express Tribune that the FIR was registered immediately while the suspect was being interrogated. "The situation is normal and security has been provided to the residents," he said. He did not disclose the the mental condition of the attacker, saying the incident was being probed.

Read More: Hindu temple desecrated in Kotri

A temporary police point has been set up at the entry of the Narainpura near the temple. Area residents confirmed that law enforcement agencies have been deployed soon after the incident.

"There is no fear now," said Mukesh Kumar, the man who lodged FIR against the attacker. "We are Pakistanis and we will die here. This is our own country," he said.

It was also learnt that the accused had been visiting the area for the last one week. "He was planning the attack for some days," a resident living near the temple narrated.

The Narainpura Minorities Compound has roughly 7,000 families living there. The residents said the compound was built in 1927 and has seven doors on different sides. It has seven small and big temples.

Political leadership of different parties also visited the area and assured their support to the residents.

One of the residents informed The Express Tribune that some of his relatives had received calls from outside Pakistan. "They want to know the security situation in the area," the resident said. "We are safe [now]," he said, pointing out at the police mobile.

Talking to the residents, Sindh Minister for Minority Affairs, Giyan Chand Essarani said, "Pakistan is a peaceful country where minorities have all rights to live according to their beliefs but some miscreants carry out such conspiracies to harm the country."

"Only one person was seen vandalizing the temple," Kumar briefed. He said that no religious party has threatened them.

Another resident said that the elders from Salawat Muhalla, the neighbourhood where the suspect was residing, also visited the Hindu community and disowned any relationship with the attacker. They said that the attacker had no family member.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2021.