The Islamist attacks on Hindu temples have been rampant in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, with two major incidents of vandalism and theft being reported in less than a month from the country’s Sindh province. While, Pakistani mainstream media has often blackened out reports of persecution of minorities, according to Rights watchers and minority groups, Islamists didn’t even spare a dilapidated Ram temple in the Kacchi Colony of the Tando Adam area in Sindh.
According to the information received, on 7th June, Islamist miscreants caused vandalism at the dilapidated temple in the Kacchi Colony in an overnight attack. They desecrated the Hindu temple and stole idols of Hindu deities and several copies of Geeta, the Holy Book despite the temple doors being locked. They also covered revered Hindu religious symbols including Om with spray paint.
https://twitter.com/hindurefugees/status/1799439854742421690
https://twitter.com/voice_minority/status/1800417579682476436
Meanwhile in Pakistan which is very worried about the state of secularism in India… https://t.co/GEEf8OcJqK
— sushant sareen (@sushantsareen) June 11, 2024
Last month, Islamists looted and desecrated an ancient Hindu temple in Sochi Pada, Tando Adam which falls in Sindh’s Nawabshah district.
According to reports, the robbers stormed the temple by breaking the main gate and indulged in vandalism. The incident occurred at the revered temple dedicated to Hindu Lord Ramapir. The theft included a silver idol and crown of Lord Ramapir. They also stole jewelry worth lakhs, cash worth around Rs 70,000 from a donation box, and other valuable items. The attack sparked outrage among the local Hindu community and raised concerns about the safety and preservation of religious sites in the region.
A Hindu temple was desecrated by Islamista in Sochi Pada, Tando Adam, District Nawabshah, #Sindh #Pakistan.
— ManhasAnupama (@manhas_anupama) May 18, 2024
Thousands of Rupees, along with jewellery worth rupees lakhs also stolen.
Such attacks adds more to the climate of discrimination and fear for religious minorities in Pak pic.twitter.com/WPviX4u6T4
https://twitter.com/voice_minority/status/1791733493849821417
“Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday took notice of the theft of idols and other valuables from the “Rama Pir” temple in Tando Adam and has sought a report from concerned authorities,” Pakistani outlet ARY News reported on 17th May, this year.
According to the ARY News report, Sindh CM Shah directed the IG Police to recover all stolen goods including idols, and sought a report. Murad Ali Shah said that no high-handedness toward minorities would not be tolerated (sic).
The report added that CM Murad Ali Shah also directed the IG Sindh to submit a progress report regarding the recovery of the child abducted three days ago from Pano Aqil. He also sought a report regarding the recovery of the abductees in the last three days.
It is pertinent to note that the Rama Pir temple is one of the third largest pilgrimage sites for the Hindus in Sindh. It is situated in the heart of Tando Allayar in Sindh. Thousands of local Hindus visit the temple to seek blessings.
In the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Hindu temples have been prone to incidences of looting and desecration, with the Pakistani establishment accused of being in cohorts with the Islamists in these attacks.
It has been reported that Hindu temples have been converted into Mosques, Madrasas, chicken shops, cattle farms, and sometimes even toilets, underscoring the atrocities against minority Hindus and their places of worship.
Amidst a string of attacks on Hindu temples in Pakistan, two major incidents were reported last year. In November 2023, Hinglaj Mata Mandir in Sindh and the UNESCO-recognised site Sharda Peeth Temple were demolished.
Earlier, in July 2023, over 150-year-old Hindu temple was bulldozed to the ground in Karachi, and another Mandir was attacked by ‘rocket launchers’ in Sindh. Both incidents took place within less than 24 hours.
