Pakistan’s Supreme Court has directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to rebuild the recently demolished Hindu religious site by recovering the amount from Maulvi Sharif – one of the prime suspect behind the demolishing.
According to Geo News, 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 demolishing of a Hindu saint’s shrine in Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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?”
To this, KP Inspector-General Dr Sanaullah Abbasi said 92 police officials who were on duty, including the area’s superintendent and deputy superintendent, have been suspended and at least 109 suspects have been arrested.
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The top judge remarked that suspending police officials was not enough. “This incident has shown Pakistan in a negative light worldwide,” he observed. Justice Ahsan added to the chief justice’s observation by adding that photos and videos of the incident have gone viral on social media.
The top judge responded that the cost should be recovered from those who demolished it and directed the KP government to recover the amount from Maulvi Sharif. “Unless they have to personally bear the cost of the rebuilding, they would continue carrying out such acts.”
Maulvi Sharif according to Geo, had attempted to demolish the temple in 1997 as well.
The bench also ordered authorities to remove encroachments and illegal construction on temple and gurdwara lands and adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.
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