WATCH | Hindu Temple Destroyed, Set Ablaze By Mob In Pakistan's Khyber Province

The incident came to light after a video clip went viral on social media, in which a violent mob is seen destroying the walls and roof of the temple.

(Image: Videograb/ Twitter)

Karak: An angry mob of over hundred demolished a Hindu Temple in Karak district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province on Wednesday. The group of people, mostly local Muslim clerics, allegedly destroyed and set on fire the Hindu temple build in the area.  The incident came to light after a video clip went viral on social media, in which a violent mob is seen destroying the walls and roof of the temple. The act against Hindu minority community is widely condemned by human rights activists based in Pakistan and other parts of the world. As per reports, a Muslim cleric from Karak allegedly instigated local Muslims against the Hindu community and provoked them to demolish the temple. Mubashir Zaidi (@Xadeejournalist), a journalist based in Karachi tweeted, "#BREAKING...A mob led by local clerics destroyed Hindu temple in Karak district of KP. Hindus obtained permission from the administration to extend the temple but local clerics arranged a mob to destroy the temple. Police & administration remained silent spectators @ImranKhanPTI" Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo), a London-based human rights activist tweeted, "This is new Pakistan! A Hindu Temple was destroyed today in Karak, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, governed by PTI Govt. Police or forces didn't stop the mob because they were chanting Allah-o-Akbar. A shameful day, Beyond condemnation indeed!"

This is new Pakistan!

A Hindu Temple was destroyed today in Karak, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, governed by PTI Govt. Police or forces didn’t stop the mob because they were chanting Allah-o-Akbar. A shameful day, Beyond condemnation indeed! pic.twitter.com/ZIzmCnoGUX — Shama Junejo (@ShamaJunejo) December 30, 2020

Rabia Mehmood (@Rabail26), a researcher and journalist also condemned the attack on religious sites. She tweeted, "2020 in Pakistan: Hindu temple in Karak, KP brutally vandalized and demolished by a violent mob. While the Pakistan government is fixated on the rise of hindutva in India, the fascists at home continue attacking non Muslim Pakistanis with impunity". Ihtesham Afghan (@IhteshamAfghan), a human rights activist tweeted, "A hindu temple was demolished by religious extremists in karak today. It is a very shameful moment for us because it reflects the way we treat minorities in our country. You can't run a federation unless and until the rights of minorities are protected. Strongly condemnable". As per a report published in Daily Times, a rally was organised by Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), a Sunni Deobandi political party in Pakistan nearby where speakers delivered fiery speeches after which the charged crowd stormed the temple, set it ablaze and razed it to the ground. However, Maulana Atta Ur Rehman, the Vice President of JUI-F denied the allegations and said that his party has nothing to do with the incident as it happened after their party's rally.