Kathmandu [Nepal]: Nepal has condemned the recent attack on a Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province and has appealed to the neighbouring country to respect the rights of the minority Hindu communities.
On Friday, the Human Rights Organisation of Nepal issued a letter to the Pakistan Ambassador in Kathmandu Syed Haider Shah saying, “We are deeply concerned by the incident that a mob on August 5, 2021, vandalised a Hindu temple in Bhong town of Rahim Yar Khan district in Pakistan as a reaction to the alleged desecration of a Muslim seminary.” “It is reported in several media that hundreds of people went to the Ganesh temple in Bhong town after a local court granted bail to a nine-year-old Hindu boy who allegedly urinated at a library of the seminary a few days back. The act of revenge by the mob despite an apology from the Hindu community for the act of a minor is a matter of concern for us,” the letter said.
The letter further stated it was a serious incident of violation of human rights of a minority community to protect and preserve their place of worship, and practice their faith peacefully. It is an issue of concern not only inside the territory of Pakistan, but for the human rights community all around the world. In this backdrop, Nepal requested the government of Pakistan to conduct fair investigation of the incident of vandalism of the temple and arrest and punish the culprits. “We appeal the government of Pakistan to act immediately to restore law and order in the area and provide protection to the minority Hindu community of Pakistan,” the letter added. On Thursday, a mob comprising over a dozen men armed with sticks had vandalised a Hindu temple in village Bhong of Rahim Yar Khan, shouting slogans and desecrating idols in the place of worship. Pakistani lawmaker and Hindu community leader Ramesh Kumar Vankwani shared videos of the incident. In one of the videos, the mob can be seen destroying the infrastructure of the temple. In recent years, there has been a surge in attacks on the place of worship of religious minorities in Pakistan. The country has been repeatedly slammed by the international community for not safeguarding the interest of its minorities.
