Allah-hu-Akbar hardliners attacked 100-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan.

Rawalpindi: Encroachment mafia had occupied the surroundings of the temple over a long time by making shops and kiosks. (AP)

Pakistan: 100-year-old Hindu temple attacked in Rawalpindi by Islamist hardliners.

Yudhvir Singh Rana | HENB | RAWALPINDI | March 29, 2021: While shouting Allah-hu-Akbar, a group of unidentified and armed people attacked an over 100-year-old Hindu temple at Purana Qila on Saturday, causing severe damage to its ongoing renovation work, stairs and doors.

Earlier, the encroachment mafia closed to the local Islamist hardliners had occupied the surroundings of the temple over a long time by making shops and kiosks. The district administration assisted by the police recently removed all encroachments.

After the temple was cleared of encroachments, renovation work was started.

The security officer of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), Northern Zone, Syed Raza Abbas Zaidi, lodged an FIR at Banni police station, saying that construction and renovation work stopped on the temple which had been going on for the last one month.

He said there were some encroachments in front of the temple which were removed on March 24. However, religious rites have not been started in the temple nor were there any idol or any other worship item.

The complainant said 10 to 15 people stormed the temple on Saturday at about 7.30pm and damaged the main door and another door at the upper story as well as the staircase.

He sought legal action against the people who had caused damage to the temple and its sanctity.

Maximum of  worship places of the Hindu minorities in Pakistan have already been  encroached/occupied by the Jihadi element and Muslim land mafias  in order to defy the minority rights as per Islamic teaching and intolerance.

Hindus form the biggest minority community in Pakistan. According to official estimation, only 45 lakh Hindus (1.9%) live in Pakistan at present. During 1941-1946 before partition of India, there were 3.31 Cr Hindus (14%) in then West Pakistan (now Pakistan). Persecution upon minority Hindus, forced conversion and migration during partition caused a havoc downfall in the numbers of minority Hindus there.

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___Agencies.