Temple demolition

THE demolition of a Hindu temple in Karachis Garden area on Saturday raises

some disturbing questions and is a prime example of the callous attitude that
officialdom often has towards this countrys non-Muslim citizens. Reportedly, there is
a dispute between a builder who claims to own the structure which contained the temple and
residents, and the matter is in court. Yet the Pakistan Hindu Council and residents claim they were
not given advance warning before the demolition squad showed up and that religious objects were
desecrated during the operation. It has also been alleged that individuals accompanying the
demolition squad took away religious objects as well as gold jewellery. Community members claim
they have been living in the location for over a century. They say they have been harassed to vacate
the land. An official of the cantonment board the building falls under its jurisdiction claims no
place of worship was damaged in the anti-encroachment operation. However, images in the media
of Hindu idols surrounded by rubble makes such denials questionable.
We are not assuming that the temple was deliberately targeted. Yet the matter should have been
handled more tactfully considering the sensitivities, specifically the fact that a place of worship was
involved. Would such action have been taken if a mosque had been built on illegally occupied land
instead of a temple? Clumsily handled situations such as this only add to the discomfiture of
minorities living in this country. As it is, in many instances non-Muslims have hardly been given
equal treatment in Pakistan and have been increasingly marginalised with the growth of extremism.
In such circumstances, disrespecting a non-Muslim place of worship only adds to the alienation. The
authorities need to uncover the facts of the matter, especially regarding ownership, and apologise to
the Hindu community for having hurt their sentiments by demolishing the temple. Even if the
structure was illegally built, the community should be given an alternative site to build the temple.
And if this is not the case and the demolition was illegal, then the temple