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India lodges protest with Pakistan over temple demolition

WION
NEW DELHIWritten By: Sidhant SibalUpdated: Jan 01, 2021, 06:42 PM IST
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India will be hosting the SCO RATS council meeting on October 14th this year in Delhi. Photograph:(Reuters)

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Many arrests have been made by local authorities in connection to the incident. The Pakistani Supreme Court has also taken note of the development and takes up the case next week.

India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistan over demolishing of a Hindu Temple in Pakistan. The protest was lodged on Thursday with Islamabad via diplomatic channels.

Highlighting the "repeated instances of similar nature" involving "atrocities against the members of the minority community", Indian government sources told WION, that they expect, "Government of Pakistan to investigate the matter and take strict action against those responsible for this vandalization and demolition of the temple."

Sources said, "our message reiterated that the Government of Pakistan, in discharge of its responsibilities, is expected to look after the safety, security and well-being of its minority communities including protection of their religious rights and cultural heritage."

India has also asked Pakistan to share the investigation report on the incident. 

Earlier this week, a Hindu temple was burnt down by a mob in Karak, in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa. The Pakistani Hindu community staged protest in the aftermath of the demolishment of the temple which was over 100 years old.

Many arrests have been made by local authorities in connection to the incident. The Pakistani Supreme Court has also taken note of the development and takes up the case next week.

Interestingly, the provincial government is ruled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which is also the ruling Party of the country.

The temple has been target of attack in the past as well. It was demolished in 1997 and later reconstructed again in 2015. 

The demolishing of temple comes even as situation of the minorities in the country continue to deteriorate. Multiple cases of abduction of Hindu, Sikh and Christian girls have been dominating headlines all throughout 2020.

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Sidhant Sibal

Sidhant Sibal is the principal diplomatic correspondent for WION. When he is not working, you will find him playing with his dog.