Tag: Pakistani Hindus

  • Politicians extend Diwali wishes to Hindu community celebrating their festival of light

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan took to Twitter and extended his wishes to Pakistani Hindus on the eve of Diwali, the festival of lights.

    Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif took to Twitter and wrote, “May the festival of lights be the source of peace, love, and joy around the world!”

    Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto wished the Hindu community and tweeted, “Happy #Diwali to everyone celebrating.”

    Maryam Nawaz tweeted, “Wishing you all the happiness and prosperity. Diya jalaaye rakhna.” [Keep the lights burning].

    Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) minister Fawad Chaudhry wished the community and tweeted, “Very Happy Diwali to those celebrating… #Diwali.”

    PTI leader Asad Umar tweeted, “Wishing all Hindus a very happy Diwali.”

    PPP Senator Sherry Rehman too wished those celebrating Diwali.

  • Mob attacks 100-year-old Hindu temple in Rawalpindi

    Mob attacks 100-year-old Hindu temple in Rawalpindi

    A group of unidentified people attacked a century-old Hindu temple undergoing renovation in Rawalpindi.

    Read more – Nine people arrested after mob sets ablaze Hindu temple in Karak

    The incident took place in Rawalpindi’s Purana Qila area on Saturday when 10 to 15 people attacked the temple damaging the main door and another door in the upper storey as well as the staircase, according to a complaint registered with the police.

    As per reports, the encroachment mafia had occupied the surroundings of the temple for a long time by setting up stalls and shops there. The district administration had earlier removed all encroachments with help of the police.

    The security officer of the Evacuee Trust Property Board Northern Zone Syed Raza Abbas Zaidi filed the FIR at Pindi’s Banni police station stating that the renovation work on the temple was underway for the last one month.

    He said there were some encroachments in front of the temple which were removed on March 24.

    However, religious rites have not been initiated in the temple nor were there any idol or any other religious item.

    Read more – 1,300-year-old Hindu temple discovered in KP

    Zaidi has demanded legal action against the people who had damaged the temple.

  • Over a dozen Pakistani Hindus, who went to India for a better future, return with shattered dreams

    Over a dozen Pakistani Hindus, who went to India for a better future, return with shattered dreams

    At least 14 members of the country’s Hindu minority community returned from India after six months, saying their dreams of better economic prospects in the neighboring country had been shattered, Anadolu Agency reported.

    Speaking to reporters at the Wagah border crossing, Kanhaya Lal and Nanak Ram, the heads of the families, said they went to India hoping for better economic prospects, but it was a “farce” and they suffered great hardships.

    India recently passed a contentious law allowing Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to apply for fast-track citizenship.

    Last month, a family of 11 Hindus, migrated from Pakistan, was found dead in a rented farmhouse in the city of Jodhpur in India’s Rajasthan state.

    The daughter of one Budha Ram, who was among those killed, had registered a case with Shahdadpur police station, accusing India’s Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for the crime. The first information report (FIR) revealed Ram had decided to return to Pakistan to expose spy traps offered by the Indian spy agency.

    “I knew that family, and most of them were educated. But there are no opportunities for any outsiders in India,” Lal told Anadolu Agency.

    “The fact is they were living in miserable conditions and suffered from extreme poverty and there were dangerous threats to their lives,” Lal said.

    He said more than 28,000 Pakistan Hindus are stranded in Jodhpur waiting to return home.