ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) to reconstruct Samaadhi/Mandir in Karak, remove encroachments from temples from across the country, and take action against officials involved in the encroachments.
A mob on December 30, 2020 burnt the shrine of Hindu saint, Shri Paramhans Ji Maharaj, in Karak, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The Samadhi (shrine) is considered sacred by the Hindu community.
The Hindu devotees, especially from Sindh, used to visit it.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard the suo moto on the burning of the Hindu temple in Karak district, KP.
The ETPB was also ordered to file details of functional and non-functional temples and Gurdwaras all over the country.
One-man commission for Minorities Rights, headed by Dr Shoaib Suddle, in its report proposed that handling of Samaadhi/Mandir’s burning incident in Karak by the police needs to be investigated in depth by the KP government and the KP IGP.
Justice Ijazul Ahsan questioned the inspector general on how the incident could have happened when there was a police check post next to the shrine.
“Where were your intelligence agencies?” he asked.
The chief justice remarked that the Karak incident had caused international embarrassment to Pakistan.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) KP Sanaullah Abbasi informed that a protest by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was going on near the site on the day of the incident, which was sponsored by Maulana Faizullah, adding Maulvi Sharif incited the crowd.
He told that 109 people involved in the vandalism were under arrest, while 92 police officials, including the superintendent of police (SP) and deputy superintendent of police (DSP) who were on duty at the time, were suspended.
“There were 92 police officials at the spot, but they showed cowardice and negligence,” the IGP admitted.
Shaoib Suddle informed that the KP ETPB “did not protect the shrine”.
The chairman ETPB said the shrine was run by the Hindu community itself and it was non-functional, which was why ETPB officials were not present there.
Patron-in-chief Pakistan Hindu Council Ramesh Kumar said the shrine was also damaged in 1997.
After the ETPB refused, the council gave money from its [own] funds for reconstruction, he said. Justice Ijaz observed that the ETPB “has the money to construct its own buildings but does not have money for Hindus”.
The court directed the ETPB chairman to submit a report on the ETPB lands disputes and the performance of the ETPB chairman.
The KP branch of the ETPB was asked to hold discussions with the provincial minorities commission.
The case was adjourned for two weeks.
In pursuant of the SC direction the one-man commission led by its Chairman Dr Shoaib Suddle along with Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and IGP KP visited Teri Samaadhi/Mandhir on January 1, 2021.
The commission also suggested that a proper and thorough investigation needs to be conducted and finalised at the earliest after gathering all available evidence, including forensic evidence and call records.
The principal instigator of the demolition of Samaadhi/Mandir, Molvi Sharif, must be thoroughly interrogated to unearth any conspiracy and planning behind this gory incident. Entry of suspected miscreants in the Mandir area be banned by the Home Department, proposed the commission.
According to the report, Samaadhi/Mandir dispute spanning 8-9 months was resolved amicably after the One-Man Commission held a meeting in the Chief Secretary office on 27-11-2020.
“Afterwards an agreement was signed between Mufti Ishfaq and notables of Teri on 22-12-2020. The constitutional rights of Hindu community were accepted and the work stopped due to court stay order resumed,” said the report.
However, on 30-12-2020 Molvi Sharif and other led the mob in hundreds to attack the Samaadhi/Mandir. The mob looted the valuables, after setting the holy site on fire.
Both the DSP and the SHO apparently did not take action to control the situation. An FIR has been registered against 3-4 hundred persons out of whom 96 persons, including Molvi Sharif, have been arrested, said the report.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government had agreed to restore the Samaadhi/Mandir to its pre-30-12-2020 position.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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