Churches and temples: Police flayed for booking minority leaders

Activists say force’s job to secure places of worship

PESHAWAR: FIRs against minority leaders for failing to provide adequate security to places of worship have met with criticism.

Minority representatives argue it is the responsibility of the government and police to provide security. The concerns were raised after police registered an FIR against a Hindu temple administrator for inadequate security at the centuries-old Kalabari temple. Ram Lal was booked on Tuesday under the Protection of Sensitive and Vulnerable Establishments and Places Act 2015.

A few days ago, an FIR was also registered against a Christian leader Haroon Jani Masih for failing to implement adequate security measures at a church in Tarnab Farm in the jurisdiction area of the Chamkani police station. Even though he was not directly related to the church, Haroon Jani was still booked, which was unfair, a community member said.

Chairman for Hindu Rights Movement Haroon Sarbdyal told The Express Tribune he was upset with this trend in the making. Like all temples in the area, be it a Hindu or a Sikh one, the Kalabari temple is also under the supervision of Auqaf, he said. “These buildings generate millions of rupees, but Auqaf does not spend any money on providing security to them,” he added.

Sarbdyal said the Hindu community is financially one of the weakest in the country. “We cannot afford to pay for security at the temples,” he said, adding that Hindus cannot afford to hire guards, install CCTV cameras, and have a generator to provide round-the-clock electricity, among other security measures.

A year ago, Peshawar police hired eight constables on contract from the Hindu and Sikh communities to guard the temples. The decision came after a police constable was killed while guarding a temple in Sikandarpura in a target killing incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 4^th,  2015.