KARACHI: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan strongly condemned the encroachment of the premises of the Hindu temple located at Pawaldass Compound in Lyari that has been turned into a slaughter area by local butchers.
Residents of the area have brought to the attention of HRCP the fact that butchers are turning the compound on which a temple is situated into a slaughter area, says a statement released by the organisation on Monday.
Confirming the veracity of the complaint made by the Hindu community, the HRCP says that this action is not only illegal, but has provoked the sensitivities of Hindus. They have demanded the Sindh government and the City Nazim take immediate action against this encroachment to protect the rights of the Hindus and in the larger interest of communal harmony.
In a letter addressed to the provincial government, HRCP draws immediate attention regarding the Baghdadi police’s alleged collaboration with the alleged perpetrators in a series of attacks on over 100 Hindu families living in the century old residential compound in Lyari town of Karachi.
According to the information received by Muhammad Ejaz Ahsan, Program Coordinator HRCP, the concerned compound is exclusively earmarked for Hindu families by the Sindh provincial government under the Evacuee Property Act 1957 but land grabbers have been forcibly evicting residents in this compound with the help of Baghdadi police in Kakri ground, Lyari town. As a result of this the number of families have decreased to 35.
Mr. Ahsan was also informed that Baghdadi police were themselves involved in helping the Muslim land grabbers by allegedly forcing the Hindu residents to sign on the residential document in exchange for a very small amount, which subsequently gives the right of using the land to the land grabbers.
“It is shocking to learn that the Baghdadi police reportedly allowed the Muslims to slaughter the cows inside the compoundís walls that is an insult Hindu religion and also took over the Shiv Mander temple and transformed it into a place for Muslim worship,” said Mr. Ahsan
On behalf of HRCP, he urged the Government of Pakistan to strictly enforce the laws to protect rights of religious minorities and take strong measures against law enforcement officials who collaborate with the alleged perpetrators and fail to take proper action into the concerned cases.
