Hindu community pardons accused in Karak temple attack
A mob, reportedly led by firebrand cleric Maulvi Sharif, had vandalised the revered temple on December 30 last year
Resentful local residents attacked a Hindu temple in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa s Karak district on December 30, 2020. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
PESHAWAR:
The Hindu community has decided to pardon the accused involved in the vandalisation of a temple located in southern Karak district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa based on the apology submitted by the accused.
“The community would provide aid and employ efforts to secure release of the accused from the prison in the light of the recommendations of a jirga,” said Pakistan Hindu Council Chairman and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker Dr Ramesh Kumar while announcing the decision in a press conference along with the Advisor of the Chief Minister on Science and Technology, Ziaullah Bangash in Peshawar on Saturday.
SC directs rebuilding of temple
On January 5, the Supreme Court directed KP government to rebuild the temple by recovering the amount from Maulvi Sharif one of the prime suspects behind the demolition.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Munib Akhtar heard a suo motu case pertaining to the demolition of the religious site that consists of a temple as well as the shrine of a saint.
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During the hearing, the bench was irked by the KP Police s failure to protect the Hindu temple. Justice Ahsan questioned how the incident could occur with a police picket so close by. What was your intelligence agency doing when the mob was gathering?
Inquiry report states officers showed cowardice, negligence and irresponsibility in discharge of their obligations
Karak temple demolished. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB
PESHAWAR:
As many as 12 police personnel were dismissed from duty as the preliminary inquiry report on the Karak Hindu temple attack found officers ‘negligent’ in discharge of their duty.
Twelve police personnel were dismissed from services with immediate effect whereas 33 were awarded minor punishment of forfeiture of one year of service.
“They show cowardice, negligence, and irresponsibility in the discharge of their official obligations,” the inquiry report stated in view of the available record and facts on file, perusal of inquiry papers and the recommendations of the inquiry officers.